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MARK Warburton was a relieved man after seeing his QPR side seal all three points with a dramatic Dom Ball thunderbolt in injury time against Cardiff City.
Having led 2-0 at half-time, two penalties from Joe Rolls seemed to have snatched victory from QPR before substitute Ball netted from 30 yards.
Reflecting on what was a dominant first half before allowing the Bluebirds back into the match, Warburton said: “We knew what we faced in terms of the quality and strength of the opposition, but we also knew they played on Wednesday evening and they had basically the same XI bar one, so we had to try and move the ball with intent and purpose, move it quickly and play forward and I thought in the first half we did that, we were very good.
“We stood up, we had first contact, we won every second ball and then played forward. In truth, we got into some good positions and we probably should’ve gone into the break out of sight.
“But we made it hard for ourselves and we have to learn from it.”
Cardiff pulled one back from the spot after Yoann Barbet felled Kieffer Moore before a Conor Masterson handball allowed Ralls to make it two – although his second penalty was saved by Dieng before the rebound was converted.
“Small details weren’t right, we were too deep as a unit, but the fact is we have to take responsibility for it and make sure we do our jobs,” Warburton said.
“I have to admit they were two soft penalties, I think that’s five out of four games now and as a team we have to do better, we make it very hard for ourselves.
“Dom Ball comes on to be the defensive physicality that we need and he produces a thirty yard, left-foot screamer.
“I think we deserved it overall, we have been unlucky in the last few games, but we deserved that in the end after making it hard for ourselves.”
Warburton admitted it was a big victory for the R’s after a difficult recent run, adding: “That win meant a lot, but there was also a lot of angry words upstairs because we gave away a very good position.
“We were in control of the game of football and we made it hard for ourselves. We can’t just say it’s a nice three points, we have to recognise that we have to be better defensively. We have a tough couple of weeks, we have had a run of a two-games every week and have dropped points, so it was important for us to win today.
“But that celebration showed that as a team we are together, compared to what some of the results have suggested. That win was very important and now all the focus switches to Wednesday night and Derby County.”
Rangers were sporting the iconic strip from 1975/76 as the club marks its 45th anniversary, and the R’s boss added: “It’s in recognition of that great time of the 70’s. It was a fantastic season, how well they played, they were a point away from sealing the league title.
“I attended every game that season, it was a very special side.” -
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Jack Supple
@JTSupple
QPR have won their last four home games played on Halloween in all competitions.
2-1 vs Blackburn in 1990
2-1 vs Liverpool in 1994
1-0 vs Sheffield United in 2017
3-2 vs Cardiff City in 2020Comment
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Everything furious Neil Harris just said after QPR defeat as he sends Cardiff City stars warning and dubs first half 'worst he has seen'
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Spooky.
Jack Supple
@JTSupple
QPR have won their last four home games played on Halloween in all competitions.
2-1 vs Blackburn in 1990
2-1 vs Liverpool in 1994
1-0 vs Sheffield United in 2017
3-2 vs Cardiff City in 2020Comment
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Two pens - a barbet hack and a hand ball by Niko. Do we hold some sort of record on pens? I've never seen the like!Comment
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Maybe it's something we can learn? You'd think a nippy tricky player like Chair could win loads of pens - we just need to encourage him to get in the box. It's a mindset thing: don't have to be trying to pick a killer pass or work an intricate one-two everytime - just barrel into a defender and shriek like a pansy, refs fall for it 9 times out of 10.Comment
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“I attended every game that season, it was a very special side.”
Warburton said he went to every game of the 75/76 season - is he aQPR fan? i didn't realise.Comment
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Watching those replays again is great, thanks for posting LRL, Chair was very good and that left footed strike by Ball was amazing and quite frankly unexpected!@gatorTFCComment
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