QPR's Victory at Charlton: Reports & Comments

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QPR Official Site - Mick Harford - TAKE MY HAT OFF TO THEM
Caretaker Manager Mick Harford was unable to hide his delight after seeing his side beat high-flying Charlton 1-0 at The Valley.
Adam Bolder's second-half strike sealed all three points for the visitors, and Harford told www.qpr.co.uk: "The lads did very well, it was a great performance. We dealt with everything Charlton threw at us.
"We played some good football, and looked like a very good side at times.
"I take my hat off to each and every player. I'm very proud of them.
"We put the penalty miss behind us, and got on with the game. If anything, the miss seemed to galvanise us.
"Bolder's finish for the goal was great. He worked very hard and got his just rewards today, so I'm delighted for him.
"We've conceded one goal in four games now, which is great. We were solid at the back and I was really pleased with how creative we were going forwards.
"The fans got behind the players like they have done all season, and were brilliant." QPR

QPR Official Site - Adam Bolder WORTH THE WAIT'
R's skipper Adam Bolder was on cloud nine after this first goal for QPR clinched victory at The Valley.
Bolder notched the only goal of the game midway through the second half, as Rangers stretched their unbeaten run to four Championship fixtures.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Bolder said: "There was a lot going on in there and I just kept my composure and tucked it away.
"It's been a long time coming. I'd have liked to have scored earlier in my QPR career, but to do it here, in front of the Sky cameras is a nice feeling.
Bolder continued: "It's a massive result.
"We've been threatening it for quite a bit, but results haven't been going our way. It's nice to get a win in front of the cameras.
"We had enough of the ball in the first half, but you expect to come under pressure away from home.
"We soaked it up though and we got the result with a superb all round team performance, especially in the second half." QPR

MAIL - Bolder keeps Harford on a roll at Rangers
Adam Bolder struck a second-half winner as Mick Harford's QPR pulled off a surprise Coca-Cola Championship win over Charlton at The Valley.
Caretaker boss Harford is making himself increasingly unsackable after initiating a stunning revival for Rangers, who now have two wins and two draws from their last four games to haul themselves off the foot of the table.
New owner Flavio Briatore has been linked with a host of Italian coaches to succeed John Gregory in the permanent role but, as the Formula One team chief looked on from the stands, he may just be wondering how the likes of Francesco Guidolin and Luigi de Canio can hope to perform much better.
Rangers should have won by more, Martin Rowlands missing a penalty, as Charlton's slump continued.
Alan Pardew's side bossed the opening stages but their familiar failings in front of goal surfaced and three straight defeats has derailed their promotion bid.
Charlton worked the first sight of goal when Danny Mills threaded the ball through to Zheng Zhi, who slid in only to be denied by a brave block from Rangers goalkeeper Lee Camp.
Grant Basey, an 18-year-old academy starlet making his full debut for Charlton at left-back, then showed he was not afraid to join the attack when he swung in a cross towards Chris Iwelumo at the far post.
The target man headed the ball back across goal but Luke Varney, back in the attack in place of luckless injury-victim Svetoslav Todorov, squandered the opportunity.
The hosts should have taken a 17th-minute lead when Sam Sodje met Andy Reid's corner, but the defender's header shaved the Rangers crossbar.
Varney then passed up a gilt-edged chance when, in the 22nd minute, he latched onto Lloyd Sam's through ball and burst clear, only to fire wastefully over the top.
Harford's half-time team talk appeared to have the desired effect as Rangers charged out of the blocks and were awarded a penalty in the 49th minute when Rowan Vine's jinking run into the area was crudely halted by Jonathan Fortune.
Rowlands, who netted from the spot to earn Rangers their first win of the season against Norwich a fortnight ago, could not repeat the trick as his low shot cannoned back off Nicky Weaver's left-hand post.
Moments later Weaver was forced into a superb reflex save after Damion Stewart backheeled Rowlands' corner towards goal with Charlton reeling.
Weaver then kept out Vine's 20-yard effort before Mikele Leigertwood came up with a shocking miss.
The midfielder robbed Mills on the edge of the area and strode forward, only to slice his shot horribly wide.
Camp saved from Varney as Charlton briefly rallied but Rangers finally went in front in the 72nd minute.
Weaver flapped at Chris Barker's left-wing cross under pressure from Marc Nygaard and the ball fell to skipper Bolder, who calmly slotted it into the unguarded net.
Addicks skipper Reid fired over and Camp pushed a curling Sam free-kick wide as Rangers held out for a vital win. Mail

SKY - Bolder lifts QPR off bottom - Controversial winner sinks Charlton at Valley
By Rob Parrish
Adam Bolder's controversial winner lifted QPR off the foot of the Championship table and condemned Charlton to a third successive defeat.
Chris Barker's hanging cross saw Marc Nygaard with his arms all over goalkeeper Nicky Weaver as they challenged for the ball, but referee Lee Probert waved play on and Rs skipper Bolder drove home the loose ball to spark furious Charlton protests.
Alan Pardew's men were the better side before the interval but missed a host of chances, with QPR dominating after the break and guilty of squandering chances of their own before their 72nd-minute breakthrough.
Martin Rowlands fired a penalty against the post and Mikele Leigertwood somehow skewed his shot wide when one-on-one after being gifted possession by a dawdling Danny Mills....
QPR missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the 50th minute when Rowan Vine was felled in the area by Jonathan Fortune's clumsy challenge, but Rowlands fired his penalty against the foot of Weaver's right-hand post, with the ball rebounding all the way out of the Charlton penalty area and to safety.
Despite the miss, the visitors continued to press and Weaver had to twice be called upon to make smart saves from Stewart's audacious flick from a corner and Vine's driven shot from the edge of the box five minutes later.
Mills then gifted possession to Leigertwood on the edge of his own box, but the QPR midfielder made a complete hash of his shot when one-on-one with Weaver and fired well wide.
Camp was then called upon to turn Varney's shot past the post before QPR took the lead in controversial circumstances. Although Charlton pressed for a leveller, they could not create another clear opening and left the field to a chorus of boos. Sky

QPR OFFICIAL SITE MATCH REPORT
Skipper Adam Bolder bagged his first goal for the Club as Rangers beat high-flying Charlton to clinch their first away win of the season.
Bolder's 72nd minute strike capped an excellent second-half display as the R's shrugged off the setback of a penalty miss from Martin Rowlands.
Rangers felt they should have had an earlier penalty after an apparent handball from Chris Iwelumo, but it was Charlton who pressed harder as the first half wore on.
Sam Sodje's header from a corner grazed the goal frame before Luke Varney, under pressure from Damion Stewart, blazed a chance over.
For the R's, Rowlands' free-kick curled straight into Nicky Weaver's midriff and Mikele Leigertwood thundered a first-time drive wide of the target.
But the visitors were content to go into half-time on level terms, with Camp beating away a ferocious effort from Zheng Zhi.
Rowan Vine earned Rangers a golden opportunity to take the lead early in the second half as he bustled into the penalty area, only to be upended by Jon Fortune's clumsy challenge.
But Rowlands, who had scored the winner from the spot against Norwich, blasted his penalty against Weaver's right-hand post and the scoresheet remained blank.
If anything, it was the R's who gained a lift from that near-miss and Stewart, racing up for a corner, had an audacious back-heel flick cleared off the line by Weaver soon afterwards.
Vine's thumping drive then brought a good save from Weaver and perhaps the best chance of the game fell to Leigertwood, who robbed Danny Mills, but sliced wide with only the keeper to beat.
Camp sprang to his left to push Varney's shot behind, but Rangers continued to surge forward themselves and snatched the lead in the 72nd minute.

Hogan Ephraim's shot was charged down, but the ball went wide to Chris Barker, whose swirling cross proved too awkward for Weaver and he could only parry to Bolder, who chested down and prodded it into the net.

Pouring forward in search of an equaliser, the Addicks found themselves frustrated by the QPR defence, marshalled again by the unflappable Martin Cranie.
He charged down a drive from substitute Izale McLeod, while Michael Mancienne threw himself in the way of a similar effort from ex-Rangers winger Jerome Thomas.

Camp palmed away a Lloyd Sam free-kick, but the R's were never under sustained pressure and, although Sodje headed wide in injury time, they held on for the victory - their first at the Valley for 25 years.

Charlton Athletic: Weaver, Sodje, Zheng, Reid, Varney, Iwelumo (McLeod, 69), Sam (Racon, 85), Semedo (Thomas, 46), Fortune, Basey, Mills.
Subs: Randolph, Bougherra,.
Bookings: Sam, Reid

QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Mancienne, Bolder, Rowlands, Ephraim, Vine, Nygaard, Leigertwood, Cranie.
Subs: Cole, Bignot, Ainsworth, Sahar, Moore.
Goals: Bolder 72
Referee: L Probert Attendance: 23, 671 QPR

CHARLTON OFFICIAL SITE - Bolder dashes Charlton
Charlton slipped to a third successive Championship reverse on Saturday as improving Rangers hauled themselves off the foot of the table.

Adam Bolder netted the decisive goal in the early afternoon kick-off at The Valley hooking a shot into the roof of the net in the 72nd minute after Nicky Weaver had lost a cross from the left under heavy pressure from Marc Nygaard.

The visitors had stormed out of the blocks in the second half and Bolder dashed Charlton hopes after the West Londoners had spurned two glorious chances.

First Martin Rowlands crashed a 61st minute penalty against the post and then Mikele Leigertwood robbed Danny Mills on the edge of the box only to shoot woefully wide with the goal at his mercy

Sam Sodje's soaring header at a first half corner scraped the top of the bar for the hosts in the first half while keeper Lee Camp made several good stops to keep them at bay, in particular a late diving effort to keep out Lloyd Sam's curling free-kick.

The net result was another pointless exercise for Alan Pardew's men who missed the chance to steal a march on their rivals in the upper reaches of the table - and by the time they face Southampton next weekend they may find themselves more than a win away from the play-off places.

True, it is still early in the season and there are still plenty of points up for grabs, but Pardew will surely have been concerned about how his side allowed Rangers to have the lions share of the second half.

A strong Rangers rearguard were in good form also, but the devilment and zest that the manager was looking for after Saturday's defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers was again sadly lacking, especially after the break.

The visitors, for whom Rowan Vine was a tireless worker up front, were actually galvanised by Rowlands' penalty miss and wound up deserving victors.

All this after the hosts had appeared to get out of jail after Fortune's foul on Vine gave the winger his chance from 12 yards but after Leigertwood's horrible moment, Bolder made it third time lucky as he sealed the points.

In terms of team news youngster Grant Basey was handed a debut as Charlton aimed to get their Championship challenge back on track.

The 18-year-old left-back was plunged into Addicks action in a bid to ease Charlton's full-back curse.

Young Frenchman Yassin Moutaouakil's absence allowed Mills to switch back to right back and there was a full debut in the centre of defence for Sam Sodje.

Sam also returned on the right wing after sitting out a three-match ban following his controversial sending off against Hull City allowing Luke Varney to push back up front.

For Basey, however, it was a dream debut in the early afternoon clash.

After a successful three-month loan at Brentford at the start of the campaign the powerful teenager was in from the start after sitting on the bench against Plymouth Argyle in midweek and then netting from the penalty spot for the reserves a day later.

With Ben Thatcher, Chris Powell, Cory Gibbs all sidelined with injury he got his chance at the back while Sodje also got a long-awaited start after six substitute appearances.

With Svetoslav Todorov ruled out for the season with his knee injury, Izale McLeod offers attacking back-up while there was a late change on the bench with Darren Ambrose replaced by Therry Racon.

Rangers, unbeaten in three under caretaker boss Mick Harford prior to the game, boasted Birmingham loanee Vine up front and exciting West Ham United prospect Hogan Ephraim out wide as they looked to climb off the bottom of the table.

Early promise for the hosts saw Mills thread a delicious third minute through ball for Zheng Zhi and Camp came out to parry at his feet and then recovered to beat away the midfielder's angled follow-up.

The visitors had claims for a penalty waved away by referee Lee Probert on nine minutes after a corner clattered against the upper torso of Chris Iwelumo while Sodje's impressive heading ability was a feature of the early running.

Varney, well-placed in the middle, couldn't get anything on an Iwelumo nod back from Basey's deep centre after a sweeping move from right to left.

Basey was certainly not looking overawed by the big occasion, bombing forward on the overlap to good effect, as he did on 17 minutes to force a corner from which the soaring Sodje got in a header that brushed the top of the bar.

It was the best chance to date and the hosts broke clear again shortly afterwards as Varney broke the offside trap but Iwelumo slipped as the deflected cross came in and Rangers were able to clear.

Varney then squandered a fine chance for the hosts midway through the half after more terrific build-up play.

Reid found Zheng in midfield and he picked out Sam who has moved inside to the middle. The winger slipped a great ball to his left to pick out Varney who had moved into space in the box but the striker lashed his shot over the bar when well placed.

Martin Rowlands' curling free-kick posed little problem to Weaver after a foul from Mills on Ephraim on 27 minutes and approaching the half hour mark the Addicks carved another chance.

Varney did well on the right, jinking away from Chris Barker and sending in a cross which was headed high over the bar by a stooping Iwelumo.

Vine's snap shot was easy for Weaver soon afterwards and Rowlands cut in to shoot well over.

At the other end Camp was called into action ten minutes before the break, reacting well to beat away a stinging drive from Zheng after the midfielder's driving run had initially stretched the visitors.

Leigertwood send a long range effort high over the bar moments later while a testing Basey cross was sliced over his own bar by Martin Cranie as Camp advanced to claim the ball.

The keeper lost the ball at the ensuing corner but Rangers, as they had all afternoon, flung bodies in the way to negate the danger.

Pardew made a positive change at the break, sending on Jerome Thomas for Jose Semedo with Reid switching inside to orchestrate play from the middle of the park.

Zheng swivelled to crack in a low shot that posed no problems to camp four minutes in but it was the visitors who were offered a golden chance to take the lead two minutes later.

Vine set off on a driving run from midfield and had made it into the box when Fortune was tempted into dangling out a leg and sending the striker tumbling.

It was a clear penalty but Rowlands couldn't take advantage as he sent his low spot-kick crashing off the left hand upright and the ball spun away to safety, handing the hosts a reprieve.

Instead of galvanising Charlton into action, however, it was Rangers who stepped up a gear after their big miss.

Weaver was beaten as towering centre-back Damion Stewart got a cute flick to Rowlands' corner from the right but Varney was on hand to clear off the line.

Ephraim volleyed off target after another promising burst from the visitors soon afterwards and then Vine advanced to the edge of the box on 58 minutes and saw his shot expertly turned away by Weaver.

The blue and white wave continued as the hour mark approached and a howler from Mills was not punished by Leigertwood who spurned a gilt-edged chance to give his side the lead.

The experienced right-back was caught in possession on the edge of the box by Leigertwood but his blushes were spared as Leigertwood shot woefully wide with the whole goal to aim at.

Surely this would be a wake-up call for the hosts and Reid sent a dipping drive over with Varney, sent clear on the right, denied by a parry from Camp at the expense of a corner.

Pardew sent on McLeod for Iwelumo on 69 minutes but it was Rangers who snatched the lead three minutes later.

Reid had got back to make a fine block on Ephraim after another rapid Rangers break but the ball was eventually sent out to the left.

Weaver came out to collect the cross but under pressure from Nygaard - and with flailing arms aplenty from the big striker - the ball squirmed loose allowing skipper Bolder to chest the ball down and fire in his first goal for the club.

Sam's frustrated lunge on Ephraim earned him a yellow card and left teammate Varney also requiring treatment in the aftermath.

A pumped up Sam almost snatched a leveller as the game headed into its final five minutes curling a free-kick towards the bottom corner only for Camp to plunge across and tip the ball behind for a corner.

Racon replaced Sam and then Reid was booked for dissent as the seconds ticked down.

Sadly the hosts couldn't muster anything to further trouble Camp with a late desperate header from Sodje dropping wide as QPR held firm for three process points. Charlton