FOOTBALL: Talbot: My lads had QPR scared

QPR'S promotion push stayed on course, but they had to work very hard and ride their luck before securing a 1-0 win over plucky Rushden and Diamonds.

Most teams have come to Loftus Road this season to defend but Rushden, with Onandi Lowe looking lively up front, had their fair share of chances and can count themselves a little unlucky not to have grabbed a point.

Rushden boss Brian Talbot was certainly pleased with his team's second-half performance.

"I think we scared them," he said. "In the first half, they dominated and we had to have words at half-time but in the second half, we have hit the post and their keeper has made a superb save at the end - we wanted the game to go on, but they wanted the final whistle."

QPR started this game like an express train and, as early as the fifth minute, Paul Furlong had forced a good save from Jamie Ashdown.

Martin Rowlands then put Kevin Gallen in the clear - only for his shot to slip inches wide.

And Rushden keeper Ashdown was soon back in the thick of the action, forced into a superb save to turn away Gallen's fierce right- footed effort as QPR piled on the pressure.

Marcus Bignot blocked Marcus Bean's shot before Rangers took the lead they had been threatening.

Rowlands beat his man on the right before squaring the ball to Gallen who coolly side-footed home his 11th goal of the season after 24 minutes.

Rowlands then forced Ashdown into another impressive save as Rushden struggled to hold off the Rangers onslaught.

Rodney Jacks' wayward shot was Rushden's only chance of the first half, while QPR had two more glorious opportunities - both falling to centre-half Danny Shittu.

First he met Gallen's free kick only to head over from just six yards then, after 39 minutes, Rowlands put him in the clear but he panicked in front of goal and could only poke it hopelessly wide.

Rushden came out for the second half with new purpose and Chris Day pulled off a brilliant save to block Andy Burgess' 25-yarder before Lowe blazed inches over.

Rushden were unlucky not to level after 57 minutes, when Paul Hall's fierce shot beat Day but thumped against the woodwork and bounced away to safety.

Ashdown was again called into action to turn away Gallen's 25- yard strike in a rare attack from the home side.

Rushden looked for a big finish and, with just six minutes remaining, they came close - Lowe's free kick looked goal-bound before team-mate Trevor Benjamin got in the way and headed the ball wide.

Rowlands should have wrapped things up in injury-time when he beat two defenders in the box only to shoot wide, but there was still time for Rushden to go close again when Jacks' close-range shot was superbly tipped over by Day.

QPR boss Ian Holloway was pleased with the result. He said: "They are only behind us and Plymouth in terms of goals so we knew it would be a test but, apart from when they hit the post, we coped with them really well and saw it through with a very professional performance."

He continued: "That's two clean sheets in a row. Now we have to look at our away form and get back to winning ways."

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