Sport

Win lifts feisty QPR clear of drop zone

QPR 3 Swansea 0: QUEENS PARK Rangers stormed to an emphatic victory over Swansea City to build on recent wins over Liverpool…

Thu Apr 12 2012 - 01:00

QPR 3 Swansea 0:QUEENS PARK Rangers stormed to an emphatic victory over Swansea City to build on recent wins over Liverpool and Arsenal.

Spectacular goals from Joey Barton, Jamie Mackie and Akos Buzsaky sunk the visitors, plunged Bolton back into the drop zone and lifted QPR clear of it.

This was a match Mark Hughes had targeted for three points. He omitted Bobby Zamora and Barton from Sunday’s defeat at Manchester United to ensure they would be fresh for Swansea’s visit.

Swansea soon slipped into their now-familiar passing groove, and QPR had to scramble frantically in the 14th minute when Scott Sinclair tried to stab the ball over the line from two yards, only to be thwarted by the combined resistance of Barton and Taye Taiwo.

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When the home team had the ball, they attacked with speed and intent. Adel Taarabt went close after a tricky solo dribble in the 19th minute and one minute later Zamora presented Mackie with a promising opportunity but the midfielder shot tamely from 10 yards.

Those chances seemed to stir QPR and they began pressing Swansea higher up the pitch, disrupting their previously smooth rhythm. In first-half stoppage time, QPR finally made the breakthrough. Angel Rangel headed a Taarabt free-kick to the edge of the area, where Barton gathered and drove a low shot into the net.

Brendan Rodgers made two substitution at half-time, but neither Adam Tate nor Nathan Dyer could stimulate a revival.

QPR increased their lead in the 55th minute when Mackie left Caulker floundering before letting fly from 20 yards. A deflection off Rangel flummoxed Vorm and gave QPR a two-goal lead.

Clint Hill kept that intact in the 62nd minute when he dived to nod a Caulker header off the line.

And then Buzsaky extended the lead in spectacular style in the 67th minute, rocketing a shot to the net from 25 yards.

QPR: Kenny, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Hill, Taiwo, Mackie (Wright-Phillips 77), Barton, Diakite, Buzsaky,Taarabt (Smith 88), Zamora (Bothroyd 78). Subs Not Used: Cerny, Gabbidon, Campbell, Young. Booked: Taiwo, Diakite.

Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Caulker, Williams,Taylor (Tate 46), Sigurdsson, Britton (Moore 62), Allen, Routledge (Dyer 46), Graham, Sinclair. Subs Not Used: Tremmel, Monk, McEachran, Gower.

Referee: L Probert (Wiltshire).