Wizard Warnock conjures R's win

06 March 2010 17:23
Warnock, who quit Crystal Palace to join Rangers this week, looked on as goals from Jay Simpson, Matt Connolly and Akos Buzsaky secured only their second win in 12 matches.[LNB]Had every managerial change at Loftus Road had this effect, Rangers would have had the title sewn up long ago.[LNB]As it is Warnock, the club's fifth new boss this season, will be happy the west Londoners now have a little more breathing space above the relegation zone.[LNB]Chris Brunt pulled one back for Albion but they fell to a costly defeat which leaves them nine points behind Newcastle at the top of the Championship.[LNB]Warnock's teams have rarely been known for their flair but his first selection decision was to recall the hugely skilful, yet too often frustrating, Tottenham loanee Adel Taarabt.[LNB]The Moroccan midfielder began in his usual blur of stepovers on Saturday and created the first goal for Simpson after 13 minutes.[LNB]He bamboozled Ben Watson down the right before swinging a low cross into the six-yard box which Albion keeper Scott Carson spilled at the feet of Hogan Ephraim.[LNB]Carson blocked Ephraim's stab at goal but the ball fell to Simpson, once of Albion, and he took a touch before firing his 13th of the season past the stranded keeper.[LNB]Five minutes later the vibrant hosts doubled their lead, Alejandro Faurlin's clever crossfield pass finding right-back Connolly in acres of space to slot the ball through Carson's legs.[LNB]Shell-shocked Albion took half an hour to muster up their first attack when Watson, who played for Warnock at Palace and had a loan spell at Rangers earlier this season, hit a volley from the edge of the area which was superbly clawed away by Carl Ikeme.[LNB]But the team with the best away record in the division were always going to be dangerous against a team who had not kept a clean sheet in 23 games.[LNB]And so it proved in the 35th minute when Jerome Thomas crossed from the left and Brunt looped a header back over Ikeme and into the net.[LNB]In the second half Simon Cox felt he should have had a penalty when he tumbled under Kaspars Gorkss' challenge, but young referee Stuart Atwell saved himself from an earful from Warnock by waving away the claims.[LNB]And Warnock was able to relax on the touchline when substitute Buzsaky put the hosts clear in the 67th minute with a curling free-kick, which was meant to be a cross but fooled Carson and flew in off the far post.[LNB]The Baggies' afternoon got worse in stoppage time when Cox had to be stretchered off.[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk