QPR striker Lyndon Dykes earns praise after topping QPR’s scoring charts this season

BY NICK KITUNO

Mark Warburton believes Lyndon Dykes deserves “enormous credit” after emerging from a tough spell to become Queens Park Rangers’ leading scorer this season.

The Scotland international now has nine goals for the season after grabbing a brace in Rangers’ 4-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, one ahead of Ilias Chair.

Dykes, who joined last summer from Livingston, endured a run of 21 games without a goal earlier in the campaign but now has four in his last four appearances.

Warburton said: “Lyndon deserves so much credit. He’s worked hard, he had that barren spell, as you guys would know well. Strikers have to score, but he has come through that and he’s never stopped working.

“Today, you saw his movement, you saw his first contact, his control, and of course getting two goals.

“My only criticism – go and get your hat-trick at the end there, be a bit more selfish and get your three goals! But he deserves enormous credit.”

QPR have three consecutive away trips – at Rotherham United, Middlesbrough and Swansea City – before they host title contenders Norwich City on April 24.

Warburton wants his players to “embrace” the challenge as they seek to secure a top-half finish in the league.

He added: “They are going to enjoy today, it was a good performance, but we move on very, very quickly now. We’ve got a tough run of games, one we’ve got to embrace, and the whole squad has got to recognise it, and enjoy it.

“We now travel on Monday to Rotherham and get back, as I said, in the early hours of the morning. Travel on Friday to Middlesbrough, get back very late. Travel [the following] Monday to Swansea, get back early hours of the morning.

“But we’ve got to recognise the challenge, it’s the Championship. It’s an unusual year but it’s a chance for the squad to be involved and we’ve got to go and hunt down every point.”

PICTURE: SEAN GOSLING