Stoke secured a first home win since October as they beat fellow strugglers QPR 1-0.

A Wouter Burger strike on the cusp of half time was enough to end a run of four straight defeats in the Championship.

The visiting Hoops, who could have moved out of the relegation zone with a victory, failed to extend their four-match unbeaten run.

It could be an important first home win for Potters’ boss Steven Schumacher, with his new side moving six points clear of the dreaded dotted line.

Following two wins and two draws, a resurgent QPR started promisingly and nearly opened the scoring inside three minutes.

The visitors carefully crafted a pocket of space and found Paul Smyth, but the winger’s venomous strike was pawed away by Daniel Iversen.

Stoke heeded their opponents’ early warning sign and gradually grew into the fixture, with new forward Niall Ennis trying to instigate a response.

The hosts had only scored two goals in their last eight home league games – with only one from open play – and their wastefulness in front of goal was on show again.

Lewis Baker’s outswinging corner was headed goalwards by Michael Rose, but the defender’s effort was tipped over by Asmir Begovic.

And the former Potters’ stopper – who made 173 appearances in six years at the club – was in inspired form against his old employers.

Fierce strikes from Burger and Ennis before the break had the same outcome, with Begovic twice coming to QPR’s rescue.

However, there was nothing the ex-Bosnian international could do just on the stroke of half time as Stoke took the lead with a goal that had been coming.

A Baker corner again wreaked havoc with Luke McNally’s flick-on finding the onrushing Burger, who converted a simple tap-in.

It was a second league goal of the season for the Dutch youngster, whose only other second tier strike also came against the Rs in the reverse fixture in November.

The home side’s momentum was not swayed by the interval, with the Potters continuing to dictate the fixture.

And they should have doubled their lead following a moment of pinball, but valiant QPR defending and another Begovic stop ensured the game remained within reach.

Substitute Lyndon Gooch also came close to providing a Stoke second, yet his rifled strike whistled beyond the post.

A late Hoops onslaught ensued with the influential Ilias Chair trying to unlock a resolute home defence.

Ultimately, the hosts’ slender lead was preserved as they avoided suffering a fifth successive league defeat for the first time since January 2005.

Meanwhile, Marti Cifuentes’ outfit remain entrenched in the relegation zone, four points from safety with 14 games still to play.

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes was thrilled with how Ilias Chair channelled his frustration at not starting by creating both goals in the 2-0 win over Preston at Deepdale.

Struggling Rangers have now won two in a row for the first time all season, under recently-appointed boss Cifuentes, who feels his side are starting to find their feet.

And it was the half-time introduction of Moroccan international Chair that made the difference at Deepdale, as the midfielder set up Paul Smyth and Chris Willock in the second half.

The manager said: “I spoke to Ilias at half-time and told him we desperately needed fresh legs out there.

“He wasn’t happy that he hadn’t started the game of course, but that’s what I want.

“I want players here who are disappointed to be on the bench.

“He’s got lots of really strong attributes and he was terrific. I felt confident at half-time that he could contribute.

“The identity of the team is really coming on.

“It’s great to be winning, and though it is small steps at this stage of the season, I can see real progress since I came to the job.

“I’m not looking at the league table at the moment.

“It’s far too early for that.

“Maybe in April we’ll look and see where we are, but for now, it’s just about trying to pick up as many points as possible.

“The team is performing well right now, and we don’t necessarily have to be dominant all the time.

“I’m pleased that I can see a clear picture now of how we want to play.

“I’ll be using all the players, and that can be the difference as we move further into the season.”

Preston missed the chance to move back into the top six as they slumped to a third straight loss, despite Ched Evans having the best chance of the opening stages, tamely shooting straight at Asmir Begovic from Mads Frokjaer’s cross.

Duane Holmes also looked lively for Preston, but one of his dangerous crosses was just beyond Will Keane as neither side could find a way through on a bitterly cold evening.

The introduction of Chair proved the difference, his dangerous in-swinging cross poked home from close range by Smyth.

Freddie Woodman then denied the Moroccan a goal of his own, but he ensured they would come away with all three points, crossing for the unmarked Willock to seal the deal three minutes from time, leaving Preston boss Ryan Lowe with plenty to ponder.

He said: “It’s a tough one to take.

“Both teams were a little bit flat I thought, especially in that first half, but we needed to raise our game maybe 10 or 15 per cent, and we just didn’t do that over the course of the rest of the game.

“They raised their game in the second half, and this is what happens.

“Overall we’re all very disappointed, but I’m scratching my head a bit right now.”

Paul Smyth and Chris Willock were on target as new QPR boss Marti Cifuentes secured back-to-back victories with a 2-0 win over Preston at Deepdale.

Rangers had struggled in the difficult conditions in the opening 45 minutes, but goals from Smyth and Willock were enough to secure a second straight victory for the first time this season.

Preston, meanwhile, missed their chance to move back into the top six thanks to a third straight loss.

After Cifuentes had indicated before kick-off that he felt the game ought to have been called off, both sets of players did appear to be treading somewhat carefully during the uneventful opening stages.

It was North End who fashioned the first half-chance after 15 minutes.

Mads Frokjaer’s out-swinging corner-kick was eventually worked out towards the unmarked Ched Evans, only for the Welshman to guide a disappointing shot straight at grateful keeper Asmir Begovic.

Preston were looking the more enterprising of the teams, with Duane Holmes looking particularly lively. Will Keane just could not stretch to meet one of his dangerous crosses.

The hosts were definitely looking the most likely to force any kind of breakthrough, with Rangers rarely threatening at all as the game edged towards half-time.

Whether the wintry conditions had been a factor was debatable, but Cifuentes’ men finally caught a sight of goal in the 38th minute.

Midfielder Willock made a decent run towards the edge of the Preston box, but saw his strike roll harmlessly past the far post.

At the other end Evans saw a shot blocked, and by the end of the opening period both goalkeepers had been largely spectators on a bitterly cold Lancashire evening.

Preston opened more purposefully after the break. A smart corner routine saw Ben Whiteman find skipper Alan Browne, only for his shot to be blocked.

Rangers replied with Smyth guiding a glancing header narrowly off target.

The much-needed breakthrough soon followed from Rangers.

Smyth made no mistake this time, darting into the six-yard box to poke home sub Ilias Chair’s dangerous in-swinging cross.

Chair was inspired, and minutes later lashed in a shot which forced Freddie Woodman into a competent stop.

Preston, who were humbled 4-0 at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, had lost their way, and they were certainly not helped by Holmes’ poor attempt from a free-kick with 25 minutes left.

Rangers sub Elijah Dixon-Bonner drove an effort narrowly wide as his side sought a potentially victory-clinching second goal.

And Rangers deservedly got their second in the 87th minute.

Chair was the provider again, crossing in for an unmarked Willock to slot home comfortably.

Paul Smyth marked his first start for Northern Ireland with a goal and an assist as they saw off San Marino 3-0, but although Michael O’Neill’s side ended a five-game losing streak it was a largely drab affair at Windsor Park.

QPR striker Smyth, earning a sixth cap, got his first competitive goal for his country just five minutes in and then teed up Josh Magennis to get the second moments later, but it took until the 81st minute for Northern Ireland to get a third as substitute Conor McMenamin got his maiden strike.

Victory over a side ranked 207th and last in the world will do nothing to solve the bigger problems that have plagued Northern Ireland throughout a miserable Euro 2024 qualifying campaign and beyond, but it does at least change the narrative as they recorded a first home win in over a year.

Looking to mix things up, O’Neill brought a number of fresh faces into his starting line-up, with Conor Hazard making his first competitive appearance in goal and first starts for Smyth and Dale Taylor.

Almost immediately the two forwards combined as Taylor met Smyth’s low cross at the near post, but he was unable to keep his shot down from a difficult angle.

No matter, because two minutes later Smyth scored, arriving on cue to volley in Jamal Lewis’ dinked cross from the left.

And only six minutes later, Magennis doubled the advantage as Smyth turned provider, driving a low cross in from the right which Magennis turned in at the near post – his first goal since the winner against Kosovo in September 2022, Northern Ireland’s last Windsor Park victory before this.

Any fears that San Marino might upset a struggling Northern Ireland side dissipated and they continued to drive forward against their part-time opponents, with Daniel Ballard heading narrowly wide and Trai Hume sending a shot over from distance after being encouraged to try his luck by the crowd.

Smyth thought he had a second in the 31st minute when Jonny Evans sent forward a long ball and he arrived to lift it over the goalkeeper with another volleyed finish, but it was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR check.

But despite the scoreline the atmosphere inside Windsor Park felt flat, to the extent that at one point in the first half chanting was even played on the PA system, and it was not helped when a torrential downpour before half-time sent those in the family stand scrambling for cover.

The 19-year-old Taylor had chances to emulate Smyth’s achievement on his first start after the break, but headed over from Paddy McNair’s free-kick and then squandered a better opportunity just before the hour, poking a shot wide after being played in by Magennis.

O’Neill then brought on another exciting teenager in West Ham striker Callum Marshall, one of three changes as Conor Washington and Isaac Price also came on with Smyth, Magennis and Evans departing and Ballard taking the captain’s armband.

Washington was fortunate to avoid an almost immediate red card when he connected heavily with the ankle of Lorenzo Lazzari, but referee Bram Van Driessche decided a yellow card was sufficient after being advised to check the replay.

San Marino goalkeeper Elia Benedettini made a double save to deny Price and then Marshall but Northern Ireland were struggling to carve out clear chances as the visitors defended deep.

But McMenamin came on along with Brodie Spencer with a little over 10 minutes left, and the St Mirren winger was on the scoresheet moments later.

Benedettini got a hand to a powerful strike from Washington, but could only push it into the centre of goal, where McMenamin was waiting to wrap up the win for Northern Ireland.