Substitute Chair inspires QPR to victory at Preston

Goals from Paul Smyth and Chris Willock secured a second successive victory for QPR and continued Preston North End’s poor run of form in the Championship.

He found space near the left-hand edge of the penalty area and played a great ball towards the far post, where Smyth was able to bundle home from close range.

It was the Northern Ireland forward’s first goal since returning to Rangers during the summer for a second spell at the west London club.

And with three minutes remaining, Chair collected a pass from fellow substitute Ziyad Larkeche and delivered another low cross from the left for Willock to seal the win.

QPR remain in the Championship bottom three but look much improved under new boss Marti Cifuentes, having lost only one of the Spaniard’s five matches in charge.

After beating Stoke City on Tuesday to secure Cifuentes’ first win, they defended well as Preston dominated much of the first half at Deepdale.

The R’s then seized the initiative, with Chair’s introduction in place of the injured Jack Colback giving them extra impetus.

North End struggled to create chances and QPR threatened on the counter-attack, with Chair, Andre Dozzell and Elijah Dixon-Bonner bringing saves from Freddie Woodman with long-range strikes after Smyth’s opener.

Preston’s defeat was their third in a row and seventh in their past 11 matches. They now sit in eighth, having fallen out of the play-off spots after being thrashed 4-0 by Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

Ryan Lowe’s side, who made a strong start to the season, have also now failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 matches.

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