QPR boss confident of avoiding Championship drop after 1-1 draw against Norwich City

BY MOHAMUD AHMED

An unfazed Gareth Ainsworth dismissed any serious concerns about relegation from the Championship after his QPR side’s 1-1 draw with Norwich City last night.

The result leaves the R’s just a point above the bottom three with only three games to go.

Lyndon Dykes scored an early first-half goal to put the home side in front before Norwich City’s Adam Idah came off the bench to score soon after the restart.

The point extends the R’s winless run to seven games, still putting them in serious relegation danger despite a hard-earned draw.

QPR’s strong start in the game was quickly rewarded after nine minutes. Ilias Chair’s smart dink over the Norwich defence teed up Dykes, who took a touch before cooly slotting it home to make it 1-0.

The R’s were able to keep momentum after their goal and asserted their dominance with free-kicks being won on the edge of the box in quick succession.

The second free-kick was inches away from doubling QPR’s lead after Kenneth Paal whizzed one through the bodies in the box before the ball hit the post and was cleared.

The second half saw the Canaries make the quick start this time. Gabriel Sara’s strike from the edge of the box was palmed away by Seny Dieng but only to fall right to Idah, who picked up the pieces and scored to make it 1-1 in the 46th minute.

The rest of the second half saw David Wagner’s side firmly in control but both sides lacked any ruthlessness or bite to go on and secure the three points with the game ending in a 1-1 draw.

Ainsworth lauded his team’s effort and remained confident of his side’s ability to retain Championship status for next season

The R’s boss told the South London Press: “Without a shadow of a doubt, we feel we can stay up, we are not even below the line.

“There will be a lot of twists and turns this season, the boys know where they have been, sliding down, it is about addressing it and stopping the rot.

“Today was a point against a good team and if we can get another point against another good team on Saturday, I think we can then get more than that against the last two.

“But, believe me, I’ll be trying to win the game on Saturday and spoil the party Burnley is trying to prepare for their champion celebration.”

Ainsworth also accepted the softness of his side’s defending after being questioned about the early goal his side conceded straight after the interval.

“We’ve conceded goals in most periods of the game, it’s not just one portion, there have been lots in every quarter of each half,” Ainsworth said.

“It is something we have got to work on [our defending] but we are trying all we can to make this a solid outfit and threatening on the other end. Lyndon’s goal was really good today.”

QPR head to Turf Moor next to face already-promoted Burnley. Then they head to Stoke before ending their campaign at Loftus Road against Bristol City on May 8.

PICTURES: ROB AVIS