Source: Daily_Mail
QPR 2 Portsmouth 0: Adel Taarabt and Clint Hill strike
With the kind of fortune Queens Park Rangers enjoyed at Loftus Road last night, sealing promotion to the Premier League should be a mere formality. [LNB]Portsmouth keeper Jamie Ashdown wiped worried frowns from the faces of the QPR faithful when he allowed a long-range Adel Taarabt shot to squirm off his right palm and dribble over the line just before the hour. [LNB]Until then, the home fans had witnessed a sterile performance from the Championship leaders, who had barely created a chance up until that point.[LNB] Lucky boy: Taarabt shoots to score the opener, but it should have been saved[LNB]After it, Rangers were released from their own torpor, and they guaranteed victory 17 minutes from time when an impeccably delivered Taarabt corner was met by Clint Hill powering home a close-range header.[LNB]Their five-point lead at the top was preserved. A lacklustre display had still managed to yield three precious points, while sending visitorsPortsmouth to within two places of the relegation zone.[LNB] That seals it: Clint Hill (right) celebrates scoring QPR's second goal [LNB]After his sulk in the goalless draw at Hull on Saturday, during whichhe turned his back on play and asked to be substituted just before half-time, Taarabt was purged of his negativity by the adoration of his home supporters. [LNB]Relieved QPR manager Neil Warnock said: 'Adel let himself down a little bit on Saturday but he's only 21, there's a lot of things going on his mind and he was sensible tonight. [LNB]'With the scouts coming to watch him on Saturday, I was absolutely delighted by the timing of his strop. I said on the bus coming home, "There's no chance of them coming in for him now".' [LNB]It was Portsmouth, with their minimal squad and after tumbling down the table in recent weeks, who were the more dangerous in the first half. [LNB]Dave Kitson looped the ball over Paddy Kenny from a tight angle, onlyfor the ball to land on the roof of the net. [LNB]The QPR keeper then flew to his left to turn a pile-driver of a free-kick by Greg Halford away for a corner, which Halford then headed narrowly over. [LNB]Stung by Warnock's halftime words and aided by Ashdown's calamity, Rangers were still indebted to a point-blank reaction save from Kenny topush over a Nadir Ciftci header two minutes from time. [LNB] Watford 1 Crystal Palace 1: Vaughan helps Eagles edge out of drop zoneSheffield United 0 Leicester 1: Sven's boys hang on to notch another winHull City 2 Leeds 2: Somma completes rescue act for UnitedBristol City 0 Swansea 2: Pratley double sinks woeful Robins[LNB] Explore more:People: Neil Warnock, Greg Halford, Dave Kitson, Jamie Ashdown
