Soccer

QPR made wait for place at the top table

Soccer: QPR began their promotion party this afternoon despite being pegged back by a late leveller by Hull at Loftus Road

Mon Apr 25 2011 - 01:00

Soccer:QPR began their promotion party this afternoon despite being pegged back by a late leveller by Hull at Loftus Road. Norwich's late winner against Derby means Rangers need another point to rubber-stamp their promotion back to the top flight for the first time in 15 years.

But Cardiff would also have to engineer a 13-goal swing to deny Neil Warnock the seventh promotion of his managerial career. Warnock’s long-time leaders have stuttered on the home straight and David Amoo’s equaliser made it a defeat and three draws from their last five outings.

But the fans still sprinted on to the pitch as a packed Loftus Road partied in the spring sunshine while even Flavio Briatore, no longer the Rangers chairman but still a shareholder, put in a rare appearance to join the knees-up.

When Briatore bought the club in September 2007 he boldly claimed they would be in the Premier League within four years — and despite a fair few hitches along the way the Italian has just about delivered that promise.

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QPR never do things the easy way, though, and as well as the maths there is still the small matter of a Football Association hearing into the transfer of midfielder Alejandro Faurlin in less than a fortnight to negotiate.

The club are confident they will not be deducted points, however, and certainly no-one in this part of west London seemed unduly concerned when the final whistle blew this afternoon.

Norwich’s Simeon Jackson completed his hat-trick in the sixth minute of added time to beat Derby 3-2.

And there was despair at the other end of the table as Preston were relegated to League One as a result of Crystal Palace’s win at home to Leeds.

Neil Danns’ second minute goal at Selhurst Park, coupled with Preston’s defeat by the same margin after Peter Whittingham’s early strike for Cardiff, sent Phil Brown’s side down.

The goal for Danns — who was sent off late on for a second bookable offence — also made it likely the Eagles will be safe for another season as both Sheffield United and Scunthorpe are six points adrift, both with inferior goal difference, with two matches remaining.