Blackstock’s spectacular strike lifts QPR to safety — History Friday, 6th Nov 2015 20:44 by Clive Whittingham Ahead of the meeting with Preston at Loftus Road on Saturday, LFW looks back to 2007 when Dexter Blackstock won a crucial game in hand between the sides on one of those nights under the lights in W12. Recent Meetings:Preston 1 QPR 1, Saturday February 19, 2011, Championship Although Neil Warnock's QPR were runaway Championship leaders in February 2011, the club still had the ability to struggle against the division's lesser lights as it always had done before. Preston would go on to be relegated that year, and had already been swept aside by Rangers 3-1 at Loftus Road, but had much the better of this encounter once Ishmael Miller's powerful run down the left had set up Heidar Helguson for an emphatic opener. Phil Brown's side equalised through Barry Nicholson and had numerous chances to win. Later, Rangers lost 4-1 at one of the other relegated teams Scunthorpe. Preston: I Turner, B Jones, S St Ledger, L Cort, D Gray, B Nicholson, I Ashbee, K Treacy, A Barton (P Parry, 75), E Johnson (P Hayes, 55), N Ellington (J Proctor, 82) Subs not used: A Lonergan, D Carter, C Morgan, D Russell Goals: Nicholson 62 Bookings: Ashbee, Treacy, Gray QPR: P Kenny, C Hill, B Orr, M Connolly, K Gorkss, W Routledge (A Buzsaky, 86), S Derry, A Taarabt, A Faurlin, I Miller (P Vaagen Moen, 61), H Helguson (R Hulse, 74) Subs not used: F Hall, P Chimbonda, D Shittu, R Cerny Goals: Helguson 16 Bookings: Gorkss, Routledge, Derry Adel Taarabt did always seem to quite enjoy playing against Preston. After registering QPR’s goal of the season in a 4-0 win against the Lily Whites at Loftus Road the previous season, the Moroccan scored two more breathtaking goals against them in W12 here. Taarabt made it 2-0 and then 3-0 from long range at the Loft End after Rob Hulse had scored from close range in the opening ten minutes. A soft own goal from Matt Connolly in injury time ruined Paddy Kenny’s clean sheet and gave the scoreline a flattering look when the gulf between the two sides on the day was taken into account. QPR: Kenny 6, Walker 8, Hall 7 (Rowlands 81, -), Gorkss 8, Hill 7, Connolly 6, Faurlin 7, Mackie 7 (Andrade 88, -), Taarabt 8, Clarke 6, Hulse 7 (Agyemang 80, -) Subs Not Used: Cerny, Leigertwood, Helguson, Ephraim Goals: Hulse 4 (assisted Walker), Taarabt 56 (assisted Hulse), 84 (assisted Clarke) Preston: Lonergan 3, Gray 5, Brown 5, St. Ledger 4, De Laet 5, Tonge 5, Barton 6, Russell 5, Pugh 4, Parkin 5, Hume 5 Subs Not Used: Arestidou, Morgan, James, Mayor, Parry, Jones, McLaughlin Booked: St. Ledger (play acting/fighting) Goals: Connolly 88 og (assisted Hume) Preston 2 QPR 2, Saturday March 27, 2010, Championship Adel Taarabt, promised an early substitution and trip home to France if he played well, was at his imperious best at Deepdale as Rangers battled back from two down to draw, and almost win. Static defending cost the R’s the opening goal before half time when Billy Jones had time for two touches and a finish in the area after Ross Wallace’s low free kick made it right through the box. Then after half time further defensive hesitancy allowed Jon Parkin in behind Kaspars Gorkss and when he was subsequently wrestled to the ground a penalty was the obvious result — Callum Davidson almost ripped the net off the back of the posts with the kick. So far so predictable, but then Taarabt started to play. He mesmerised the Preston defence time after time after time teeing up identical goals for first Peter Ramage and then Tamas Priskin before laying in Rowan Vine for what should have been a certain winner — Vine cleared the bar with his shot. Preston: Lonergan 8, Jones 7, St. Ledger 6, Ward 5, Davidson 5, Wallace 6, James 7, Chaplow 6, Carter 6 (Sedgwick 59, 7), Mellor 6, Parkin 7 (Brown 71, 6) Subs Not Used: Henderson, Hart, Mawene, Chilvers, Barton Booked: Carter (foul), Chaplow (kicking ball away), St. Ledger (foul), Mellor (foul) Goals: Jones 37 (assisted Wallace), Davidson 56 (penalty) QPR: Ikeme 8, Ramage 7, Stewart 5, Gorkss 5, Hill 5, Faurlin 6, Leigertwood 7, Priskin 6, Ephraim 7, Taarabt 9 (Buzsaky 90), German 6 (Vine 46, 7) Subs Not Used: Cerny, Cook, Balanta, Tosic, Oastler Booked: Hill (repetitive fouling), Taarabt (kicking ball away) Goals: Ramage 57 (assisted Taarabt), Priskin 66 (assisted Taarabt) Previous ResultsHead to Head >>> QPR wins 10 >>> Draws 14 >>> Preston wins 11 2010/11 Preston 1 QPR 1 (Helguson) 2010/11 QPR 3 Preston 1 (Taarabt 2, Hulse) 2009/10 Preston 2 QPR 2 (Priskin, Ramage) 2009/10 QPR 4 Preston 0 (Taarabt, Buzsaky, Simpson, Routledge) 2008/09 Preston 2 QPR 1 (Agyemang) 2008/09 QPR 3 Preston 2 (Helguson 2, Blackstock) 2007/08 QPR 2 Preston 2 (Blackstock, Ainsworth) 2007/08 Preston 0 QPR 0 2006/07 QPR 1 Preston 0 (Blackstock) 2006/07 Preston 1 QPR 1 (Ainsworth) 2005/06 QPR 0 Preston 2 2005/06 Preston 1 QPR 1 (Shittu) 2004/05 QPR 1 Preston 2 (Furlong) 2004/05 Preston 2 QPR 1 (Santos) 2000/01 Preston 5 QPR 0 2000/01 QPR 0 Preston 0 1980/81 QPR 1 Preston 1 (Stainrod) 1980/81 Preston 3 QPR 2 (Roeder, Neal) 1979/80 Preston 0 QPR 3 (Allen, Roeder, Goddard) 1979/80 QPR 1 Preston 1 (Goddard) 1978/79 Preston 1 QPR 3* (Eastoe 2, Baxter og) 1972/73 QPR 3 Preston 0 (Givens 2, Francis) 1972/73 Preston 1 QPR 1 (O’Rourke) 1971/72 Preston 1 QPR 1 (O’Rourke) 1971/72 QPR 2 Preston 1 (McCulloch, Saul) 1969/70 QPR 0 Preston 0 1969/70 Preston 0 QPR 0 1967/68 QPR 1 Preston 3** (Keen) 1967/68 QPR 2 Preston 0 (Marsh 2) 1967/68 Preston 0 QPR 2 (R Morgan, Leach) 1962/63 QPR 1 Preston 2* (Collins) 1950/51 Preston 1 QPR 0 1950/51 QPR 1 Preston 4 (Waugh) 1949/50 Preston 3 QPR 2 (Addinall, Robertson og) 1949/50 QPR 0 Preston 0 * - League Cup ** - FA Cup Memorable MatchQPR 1 Preston 0, Tuesday April 3, 2007, Championship QPR were firmly ensconced in a relegation battle at the bottom of the Championship when high-flying Preston visited Loftus Road for a game in hand in April 2007. Gregory added Inigo Idiakez to his midfield on loan, and was unlucky to see a late equaliser rob Rangers of a deserved win at Derby after Martin Rowlands’ first half opener. They went one better at Leicester that weekend, winning 3-1 with Idiakez starring and Marc Nygaard scoring a sensational long-range volley. But Paul Furlong’s penalty miss proved crucial in a 2-1 home loss to West Brom. It set the Preston game up horribly — QPR needed to win to stand a chance of finishing above the likes of Leeds, Hull, Luton and Southend at the bottom of the table. Idiakez, tragically, was injured. He was replaced in midfield by Steve Lomas alongside Adam Bolder between Lee Cook and GarethAinsworth. Up front Furlong paid for his profligacy against the Baggies with his starting place - Blackstock partnered Nygaard. The same back four of Michael Mancienne, Danny Cullip, Damion Stewart and Marcus Bignot started in front of Lee Camp but within seconds of the kick off they failed in their key job of the night - staying tight to David Nugent. Preston partnered him with Michael Ricketts and also welcomed one-time QPR target Matt Hill back into the side at full back. It was the former Bristol City man who supplied Nugent, a cross from the left found England's latest international in acres of space in front of goal but his side footed half volley finish went two yards past the post. Going forward Rangers struggled to trouble Preston at all early on. Cook cut inside Graham Alexander and looked threatening after eight minutes before being crudely blocked off by Sean St Ledger - the former Peterborough man picked up the first booking of the game for it which seemed a little harsh. Cook picked himself up to deliver an excellent cross to the back post but Nygaard was slow to react and Ricketts got the ball behind for a corner. A little later Cook received treatment on the knee injury that had looked set to keep him out of the game altogether, he played on but clearly wasn't happy, had little effect on the game and was withdrawn at half time. Another blow. Once Rangers settled their game plan was clear - direct football up to the front two or wide midfield players as quickly as possible. A little heading exhibition on the edge of the box from Nygaard gave Blackstock a chance to hook a shot towards goal but Lonergan covered it as the ball flew over. Blackstock and Ainsworth both sent weak headers wide of the target while at the other end Nugent robbed an unusually static Mancienne of possession and crossed for Hill to head goalwards but Camp made a fine one handed save to deny him. Simon Whaley was next to try his luck on the half hour, cutting in and firing in a low shot but Camp was again equal to it. As the half wore on Gareth Ainsworth came into the game more and more, as he had done against West Brom, and started to cause his former club some real problems. In the final ten minutes two gilt edge chances went begging and he was at the heart of both of them. First he smashed in one of his trademark ambitious volleys from the corner of the penalty area after a poor clearance from Chilvers. An earlier effort had bounced meekly through to Lonergan but this one bounced viciously in front of goal and looked destined to go very close to the bottom corner. From nowhere Marc Nygaard appeared, onside, and sliding in on the ball. He got a boot to it at full stretch but somehow diverted the chance high into the Loft when the pace of the ball surely meant that any kind of touch couldn't help but divert it into the goal. It may even have gone in of its own accord. It was one of those chances that brings and anguished cry of disbelief which is usually followed by a load of groaning and abuse for the player until he is substituted, especially when it's Nygaard. Luckily a combination of the fans being in a forgiving mood and Nygaard working himself to a standstill throughout the game prevented that happening here. Despite the missed chance this was one of the Dane's better games in a QPR shirt. More cries of disbelief followed soon after though as Ainsworth burst into the area and rampaged towards goal. He seemed certain to shoot, and probably score, but he'd already made his mind up to pull the ball back. Blackstock hadn't read his intentions though and the ball found only acres of open grass around the penalty spot as the chance went begging. Half time came and went with the faithful wondering if they'd live to regret missing two of the game's best three chances. That feeling only grew as the teams emerged for the second half. Arguably the two best players Rangers have failed to reappear after the break. Michael Mancienne took a nasty boot to the face as time ticked down in the first half and he was replaced at right back by Pat Kanyuka. Lee Cook also got a knock in the first half, and looked well out of sorts for the second game running, Rohan Ricketts came on for him as QPR restarted kicking towards the School End for the second half for a change. There was a nervousness around the ground as the game recommenced. Two missed chances and now two injuries, a QPR win was looking more and more unlikely, but then Dexter Blackstock blew the doubts away with the opening goal. Nygaard retrieved possession just inside his own half and floated a glorious forty yard ball straight onto Blackstock's chest. Dexter brought the ball down with a killer touch, completely taking St Ledger out of the game, and then hammered an unstoppable shot past Lonergan and into the roof of the net. Loftus Road erupted and for the second time in as many games Blackstock was booked for over celebrating by referee Keith Stroud. Preston almost came up with an immediate response. Michael Ricketts turned Cullip on the edge of the penalty area and was hauled to the ground. Ricketts leapt to his feet screaming and waving his arms around demanding Cullip be sent off. Alexander was, as he had been for the entire first half, right next to the referee having a whinge and all this gamesmanship was too much for Steve Lomas who steamed in with some choice words and was booked for his troubles. Only Pat Kanyuka covering in round the back saved Cullip a red card. When Ricketts had finally collected all his toys he stepped up to take the free kick himself, curling the ball round the wall and past the post with Camp beaten and twelve thousand QPR fans holding their breathe and/or soiling themselves. QPR were on the end of some rough decisions as well, Steve Lomas was absolutely cleaned out by a nasty fore arm smash from Alexander who was barely even spoken to by the referee. Within thirty seconds Adam Bolder had been booked for a sneaky push and kicking the ball away. Blackstock also looked to have a good penalty claim after beating Lonergan to a loose ball and collapsing but the free kick went against him. Lee Camp claimed two corners from Pugh magnificently under his cross bar with crowds of men seemingly twice his size vying for the ball and then, with the fourth official preparing to signal five minutes of added time, his wonder save to keep the scores level - denying Dichio down in the bottom corner. Gregory introduced Jimmy Smith for Rohan Ricketts, the loaned Wolves man picked up a knock earlier in the half, and when Chris Sedgwick's last gasp free kick was cleared from the penalty area Smith found himself with the freedom of Loftus Road and a raucous home crowd roaring him on. He carried the ball down the line, looked up and squared a glorious ball across the face of the area. Despite working tirelessly for more than 90 minutes to this point Dexter Blackstock ran fully 90 yards from his own area to get on the end of the cross but Lonergan brilliantly saved down low to his right to prevent a second goal. The roof might well have come off had that one gone in. The final whistle was met with celebrations worthy of a much bigger occasion than this, but the hard work required to cling to the point and terrifying last half hour provoked an outpouring of relief when Mr Stroud finally brought the game to a close just the right side of 22.00. As Gregory said afterwards, this wasn't pretty. The success was built almost exclusively on hard work and graft. Two physical teams leathering the crap out of each other in a bruising battle. For that reason QPR couldn't have won without the spine of the side. Apart from Damion Stewart in the first twenty minutes the two centre halves, central midfielders and centre forwards all had fantastic games. The work ethic and never say die attitude was led by Gareth Ainsworth who was magnificent for the second game in a row. The confidence and momentum helped Rangers win 1-0 at Coventry that weekend, and 3-2 at home to Luton over the Easter weekend to survive with something to spare. Subs not used: Cole, Furlong Goals: Blackstock 49 (assisted Nygaard) Bookings: Blackstock 50 (over celebrating), Cullip 54 (foul), Lomas 54 (dissent) Bolder 73 (foul/kicking the ball away) Preston North End: Lonergan 7, Alexander 6, Pugh 6, St Ledger 7, Chilvers 7, Sedgwick 6, Whaley 7 (Dichio 75, 7), Hill 7 (Wilson 77, 7), Songo'o 7 (Agyemang 61, 7) Ricketts 7, Nugent 6 Subs not used: Henderson, Nowland. Bookings: St Ledger 8 (foul) Attendance: 11, 910 The Twitter @loftforwords Pictures — Action Images Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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