QPR back on track, says boss Warnock after draw

LONDON: QPR manager Neil War­nock insists his Division Two leaders are back on track after they ground out a 0-0 draw at Burnley.

Warnock’s side failed to break down a Burnley team keen to impress Bour­nemouth boss Eddie Howe, who was watching from the stands ahead of his proposed move to Turf Moor.

But Warnock, whose side are three points clear of second placed Swansea with a game in hand, took heart from the way his players fought for a point even though they have now gone four games without a win.

“We were back to normal – it was good. We worked very hard and tried to win the match,” Warnock said.

“We’ve played eight out of the top 10 teams away from home and we have gone two (games) undefeated but we have to go on to another run now. A lot of teams would swap positions with us if I’m honest.”

Howe is poised to be confirmed as successor to Brian Laws after Stuart Gray presided over his final game as caretaker manager.

Gray added: “Eddie is inheriting a fantastic bunch of lads. He hasn’t seen how creative we can be but all credit to QPR, they came with a game plan and stuck to it.”

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers saluted his side’s free-flowing football as they handed Dougie Freedman a 3-0 defeat in his first game as Crystal Palace manager.

Rodgers’ team were always on top at the Liberty Stadium and Darren Prat­­ley’s first half opener was follow­ed by two penalties from Scott Sinclair.

The Swans are now just behind QPR and, just as significantly, they sit two points clear of third placed Cardiff in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

“Palace worked very hard and made it difficult for us but we played very well. We pressed the ball from the first minute and we showed creativity and imagination in the final third,” Rodgers said.

Fourth placed Norwich rescued a 1-1 draw against promotion rivals Cardiff as Russell Martin struck a last-minute equaliser at Carrow Road.

Martin rifled the ball home via the crossbar for the Canaries’ sixth injury-time strike this season after John Parkin put Cardiff ahead.

Norwich boss Paul Lambert was de­­lighted with his side’s latest display of resilience and he said: “I thought we were excellent, I really did, against a really good side.

“It would have been very tough on us if we hadn’t got anything from the game.”