QPR's Swansea Draw - Match Reports and Sousa and Warnock Comments

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QPR 1 Swansea 1 - Updated Table

Sporting Life - SOUSA 'HAPPY' FOR GERMAN
By Andy Sims, Press Association Sport

Paulo Sousa's return to QPR was spoiled by a youngster he had earmarked for stardom as Swansea were held to a 1-1 draw at Loftus Road.

Sousa, who managed Rangers for six months before he was sacked just under a year ago, saw his Swans side denied victory by teenage striker Antonio German.

"He was playing for the under-17s when I was here and I promoted him to train with the first team," revealed Sousa.

"I'm happy for him but not so happy for me. He's a good prospect for the future."
Nathan Dyer had fired Swansea into the lead just before the hour mark after a hopeful ball from Guillem Bauza hit Rangers defender Matt Hill and fell into his path.

But German climbed off the bench to hit the leveller from close range after fellow substitute Rowan Vine drilled the ball across the area.

The point was enough to lift Swansea up to fourth, but Sousa felt his side should have run out comfortable winners.

Dyer also hit a post in the first half while Bauza missed a gilt-edged chance when he fired weakly at Rangers keeper Carl Ikeme.

"We needed to be more clinical. We had four or five big chances but at 1-0 anything can happen," added Sousa.

"I don't think it was a fair result - we had a lot of chances to conclude the game."

Neil Warnock, Rangers' sixth manager since Sousa's departure, predictably disagreed and felt his side were worth their point.

Sousa had added further spice to the encounter by criticising the physical nature of Warnock's teams in the build-up to the match.

"I did tell the players not to tackle today so as not to upset Paulo," smiled Warnock.

"I told them it would be a horrible game, as Swansea don't give anything away, and that they would have to be patient.

"It was an enjoyable second half, Antonio took his goal well and it was a good fightback.

"It was interesting to see them under some pressure because they had been so composed - it was nice to ruffle a few feathers."

Rangers are now six points clear of the relegation zone and Warnock is already looking to stamp his mark on the club next season.

"It's difficult, we've got six or seven loan players so I'm excited about bringing my own players in," he added.

"We won't be having six or seven loan players next season, that's for sure.
"I'd like to keep two or three of them though - if we've got a few million."
Sporting Life


Planet Swans/Phil Stembler -Sousa - We Should Have Won It
Paulo Sousa believes his side should have won at Loftus Road
The Swansea City manager was rueing a chance lost when he addressed the press after the 1-1 draw at his former club

He said “We deserved to win. If we had been a bit more clinical, particularly in the first half, we could have closed out the game we had four or five big chances to score.
“But when you are at 1-0 then anything can happen. One corner and something happens, and we get a bit of bad luck.

“I don’t think it was a fair result, especially for what my team did in the first 45 minutes.

“When you don’t take the chances you create, something like that can happen and we don’t want to allow that any more.

“But this has been a difficult month for us. We have had a lot of injuries and we have to manage these things well.

“With everything that has happened since the beginning of this month we need to be happy with what we have up until now.

“The league position is nice and we had some good results go our way.

“We are quite happy and ready for the last push.

“It was very good to be back here. Very nice. There was a nice atmosphere,” added Sousa.

“You could see the love and respect the players have and also the fans.

“It was a big recognition for the work I did here. The friendships have never stopped." Swans


QPR Official Site WARNOCK ON SWANSEA
- Neil Warnock was more than satisfied after seeing his team come from a goal behind to register a 1-1 draw with high-flying Swansea City.
- The Swans took the lead shortly after the break when Nathan Dyer reacted first to a long ball that smashed off the back of Matt Hill, leaving the midfielder with the easy task of firing home into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Rangers didn't capitulate, however, and when Adel Taarabt's cross was fired back across goal by Rowan Vine, Antonio German was on hand to notch from close range.

"Today was always going to be a difficult match against Swansea. They don't concede many goals and are horrible to watch," Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk.

"They're a good passing side but you've just got to hope you get a goal first. When they score it's very difficult.

"When you concede a goal against Swansea it's always going to be difficult, that's the way that they play, horrible.

"I told the players that it would be a horrible game. I think Swansea showed how hard it is to play against them when they're a goal up. I was pleased with the lads' response.

"They're a good group, they needed a little bit of direction but we've got some good players."

R's boss Warnock added: "After we equalised you could see that we were on the front foot. There just wasn't enough time to clinch another goal.

"Once Swansea scored, we were going to make the substitutions anyway to try and win the game, but it's great to come back.

"Fair play to the lads, they kept their heads up, played football and got their just rewards.

"We've got to go out for three points against Derby on Tuesday. Loftus Road is a super stadium and it gets good atmosphere." QPR


SWANSEA OFFICIAL SITE - We should have won it, says Paulo
Posted on: Sat 20 Mar 2010
Swans boss Paulo Sousa felt his side should have secured all three points on his return to Loftus Road.

Nathan Dyer looked to have secured the victory over QPR to boost Swansea's play-off hopes after firing home in the 57 minutes with his first goal in four months.

But R's young substitute Antonio German rescued a point for the home side 14 minutes from time after Swansea failed to clear a corner.

But the point was still good enough for the Swans to move above Leicester, who didn't play, and up to fourth, eight points above seventh-placed Sheffield United who drew at fellow play-off hopefuls Doncaster.

The rest of the chasing pack also failed to take advantage with Middlesbrough and Blackpool both drawing with Reading and Crystal Palace respectively.

"I don't think it was a fair result,'' declared Paulo. "We had a lot of chances to finish off the game; four or five big chances.

"We needed to be more clinical. When you are just 1-0 ahead, anything can happen.''

R's boss Warnock seemed relieved with the point: "After we equalised you could see that we were on the front foot,'' he said. "There just wasn't enough time to clinch another goal.

"Fair play to the lads, they kept their heads up, played football and got their just rewards.''

And after Paulo had a pop at Warnock's managerial style in the build up to the game, the R's boss bit back by describing the way Swansea play as "horrible''.

"I did tell the players not to tackle today so as not to upset Paulo,'' quipped Warnock.

"Today was always going to be a difficult match against Swansea. They don't concede many goals and are horrible to watch.

"They're a good passing side but you've just got to hope you get a goal first. When they score it's very difficult.

"When you concede a goal against Swansea it's always going to be difficult, that's the way that they play, horrible.

"I told the players that it would be a horrible game. I think Swansea showed how hard it is to play against them when they're a goal up. I was pleased with the lads' response.'' Swansea Official Site


Wales on Line- Swans boss Sousa was unhappy over two points lost in Rangers draw
Mar 21 2010 by Steve Tucker, Wales On Sunday
Add a commentRecommend SWANSEA CITY boss Paulo Sousa was convinced his side did enough to leave Loftus Road with all three points.

In the end the Swans had to settle for a 1-1 draw against QPR, but again failed to convert a number of good goal-scoring chances.

“We deserved to win. If we had been a bit more clinical, particularly in the first half, we could have closed out the game,” said Sousa.

“We had four or five big chances to score.

“But when you are at 1-0 then anything can happen. One corner and something happens, and we get a bit of bad luck.

“I don’t think it was a fair result, especially for what my team did in the first 45 minutes.

“When you don’t take the chances you create, something like that can happen and we don’t want to allow that any more.

“But this has been a difficult month for us. We have had a lot of injuries and we have to manage these things well.

“With everything that has happened since the beginning of this month we need to be happy with what we have up until now.

“The league position is nice and we had some good results go our way.

“We are quite happy and ready for the last push.”

Sousa said he was pleased to return for the first time to Rangers, the club he managed for five months before being fired last April.

And it was one of the young players Sousa developed during his time at Rangers, 18-year-old Antonio German, who cancelled out Nathan Dyer’s strike to earn the Hoops a point.

“It was very good to be back here. Very nice. There was a nice atmosphere,” added Sousa.

“You could see the love and respect the players have and also the fans.

“It was a big recognition for the work I did here. The friendships have never stopped.

“Antonio was one of the players I promoted here when he was 17 years old. I pushed him to train with the seniors.

“He has good characteristics and good prospects. All the best to him.

“It was good for him. I’m happy for him, but he has put us in a little bit of difficulty in that moment.”

QPR boss Neil Warnock, meanwhile, was pleased with the spirit his side showed to get back in the game.

“I knew it was going to be a horrible game before because of the way Swansea play. No disrespect to them,” said Warnock.

“They don’t give much away so we knew it was going to be a bit of a dire situation. But it was a good fightback and we had been playing some good stuff just before we got the goal.

“It was enjoyable and positive.” WalesonLine


INDEPENDENT -German thwarts returning Portuguese
Queens Park Rangers 1 Swansea City 1 By Conrad Leach at Loftus Road

- There is no Flavio Briatore these days at Loftus Road, the Italian having left his post as chairman of Queens Park Rangers this season, some months after his enforced departure from Formula One. Paulo Sousa, now the Swansea City manager but in charge of QPR until last April, was therefore denied the chance to show the man who hired – and fired – him, what he is doing with his current team. While Swansea are in the play-off zone, QPR are far closer to the relegation zone, perhaps showing who won that particular argument.


But if QPR are a happier, more stable ship now that Briatore has gone, and Neil Warnock has come in, they are far from secure. Nathan Dyer's goal threatened to give the visitors their first ever win away to QPR, but a goalmouth scramble 14 minutes from time saw Rowan Vine pass to Antonio German – two substitutes combining – and from close range the teenager tapped in to earn the west London side a point.
- Sousa had himself to blame in part. "German was playing for the under-17s when I was here and I promoted him to train with the first team," Sousa said. "I'm happy for him but not so happy for me."
- Thus the second Portuguese returning to a former haunt in west London this week was denied a win. Sousa has a long way to go to emulate Jose Mourinho as a manager, even if Sousa's exploits as a player, not least European Cup victories in two consecutive seasons with different clubs, are by far the more impressive. But he has taken over from Roberto Martinez this season and if he keeps them in the top six then he will have done something Martinez could not.
- The Swans are seven points ahead of Sheffield United, who are seventh, so the play-offs are Sousa's to throw away. If they get to football's version of the lotto, it will be a real test of his acumen in a high-pressure environment with the Premier League in sight.

Sousa facing Warnock is a high-pressure encounter because of the bad blood that has built up between them in the Portuguese's short time in English football. Last week he was speaking out about the way he feels Warnock influences referees and encourages his players to be overly-physical.

This was Sousa v Warnock part three this season, after Swansea's two games against Crystal Palace, where Warnock was manager before he abandoned that particular sinking ship. Warnock, of course, has heard it all before and feigns not to care. However, Sousa may have been surprised to see a QPR side that was not particularly physical and featured a reticent Warnock on the touchline.

Dyer saw a shot after 12 minutes hit the inside of the post and unluckily bounce out but he persisted and gave Swansea the lead after 57 minutes with some luck attached. A long ball in the winger's direction bounced off Matthew Hill into his path and he mis-hit a lob that still went inside Carl Ikeme's post.

Sousa was shaking the QPR players' hands after the game and spoke of the friends he still had at the club but complained it was not a fair result as his side had had the best chances. Sound like anyone else you know? Independent


TELEGRAPH/Neil Trainis at Loftus Road

Potential at Loftus Road has been laced with a hardiness typical of sides concocted by Neil Warnock, who continues to mould Queens Park Rangers into an outfit of substance.

His players, who before his arrival had struggled to earn the right to play with the swagger their financial might demands amid the Championship’s drudgery, held promotion-chasing Swansea City courtesy of teenage substitute Antonio German’s equaliser. Warnock’s nascent tenure has seen one defeat in five matches. Relegation anxieties have already been eased.

Sport on television Football, though, can be cruel. Paulo Sousa, once removed as QPR manager in a blaze of controversy, was denied unadulterated satisfaction. It appeared Nathan Dyer’s 57th minute goal would see him return from his old haunt gloriously victorious yet disappointment confronts the Portuguese, even if Swansea’s predicament is healthier than that of his old employers.

“If we won it’s because we want to win, not because it’s against QPR. We had chances to win and at 1-0 everything can happen,” Sousa said, dampening the significance of his first return to the club since his departure.

Swansea took a stranglehold of proceedings in the second half but failed to close out the contest. The encounter was also an illustration of QPR’s attacking dexterity and defensive calamity, a tortuous combination for their fans.

Adel Taarabt, the exasperating playmaker operating behind Tamas Priskin, demonstrated his quick-footedness and exuberance. The Moroccan is not the archetypal Neil Warnock footballer but even Taarabt’s hardened manager must have taken pleasure when he bamboozled two markers with little drag-backs and pirouettes by the corner flag.

Yet for all Taarabt’s ability to manufacture space in prompting attacks, he often misjudged the weight and direction of his final ball, a defect which will hinder ambitions of rejuvenating his prospects at a higher level.

QPR’s thrusts forward were purposeful but they were undermined by shoddiness at the back. Dyer, exploiting space in behind, ran on to Shefki Kuqi’s flick in the first half and poked a shot against the post.

Swansea, whose attack was a contrasting blend of power and nimbleness in the shape of Kuqi, Dyer and Guillem Bauza, almost exploited the sluggishness in Matthew Hill and Kaspars Gorkks.

QPR’s effervescent approach play continued to be riddled by uncertainty and Dyer pounced to convert after Bauza’s pass struck the hapless Hill. QPR, however, boast spirit and Taarabt’s corner found Rowan Vine, whose shot was blocked before German netted. Warnock has so far found a way to marry resilience with panache. Telegraph


THE TIMES - German denies Swansea victory
QPR 1 Swansea 1Rob Maul at Loftus Road

THE LAST TIME Paulo Sousa worked in this part of west London in a managerial capacity, nearly a year ago, he departed in acrimonious circumstances; yesterday, on his first visit to Queens Park Rangers since his surprise sacking, he may have been encouraged by the response of his former players but the Portuguese manager endured a similarly deflating experience, watching his dominant team concede an equaliser with 14 minutes remaining and forgo two vital points in the process.

Although promotion with Swansea City in May would be of greater satisfaction and prove a major point to the Rangers hierarchy – Sousa was not given the appropriate time, just five months and 26 matches, to implement his commendable coaching credentials – he was denied a small measure of revenge here, and the Swans’ first ever victory at Loftus Road, when counterpart Neil Warnock tactically influenced the outcome, with the introduction of substitute Antonio German proving decisive.

“Was it a fair result? No. I think not,” said Sousa. “For what my team did in the first 45 minutes was special. We had a lot of chances to conclude the game. Of course when we don’t score the goals we create, at 1-0, anything can happen. We deserved to win; we just needed to be more clinical.”

On meeting his former players, he added: “You can see once more the respect and the love that the players have for me. It is a big recognition for the work and relationship I had here.”

However, given their reputation for being the most attractive team to watch in the Championship, it was perhaps ironic that Swansea’s most memorable opening opportunities should be the result of an old-fashioned route-one trajectory. Within the space of seven first-half minutes, the visitors struck the woodwork of Carl Ikeme’s goal – the sprightly Nathan Dyer diverting Shefki Kuqi’s headed flick onto the right-hand post – and then Rangers left-back Matthew Hill was incredibly relieved to see the ball, from a long upfield pass, deflect off his body and over the crossbar for a corner.

What was equally surprising was the overall contribution of Kuqi, a seemingly reformed character since arriving in Wales from German Second Division Koblenz in January. Work-rate and commitment have never been the most obvious words to describe the muscular, occasionally uninterested 33-year-old striker, yet here he was, running with confidence, defending at important moments at the front post and generally imposing himself on the fairly uncomfortable centre-backs Kaspars Gorkss and Matthew Connolly. Indeed, the Finn could have played a crucial part in Swansea scoring with just three minutes of the half remaining, but Ikeme managed to hold Guillem Bauza’s eventual attempt from Kuqi’s pass, a vital catch under the circumstances when the close proximity of Dyer was considered.

It is fair to state that during the half-time interval Sousa may have reinforced to his players how important it was to beat his former employers. And the piece of good fortune that was so lacking during his time with Rangers came in dramatic circumstances on 57 minutes. The initial ball from Bauza was overhit, far too ambitious, but it unkindly ricocheted off the back of the disappointing Hill and dropped dead, on a sixpence, for Dyer. Like a beautifully-crafted golf shot falling to rest just yards from the hole, the speedy winger could not believe his luck at the way the opportunity beckoned. And he duly did the rest, directing his shot beyond Ikeme. The only sad sight was the clear lack of stewarding as a number of joyous visiting supporters ran onto the pitch to celebrate.

Nevertheless, Warnock responded immediately, introducing more width and making a double substitution. The tactics worked perfectly as 18-year-old German soon equalised. Goalkeeper Dorus De Vries failed to catch a corner, swung in from his right, and once the ball was played back in by Rowan Vine, who had only been on himself for four minutes, German was not going to waste such a gift, scoring his second goal of the season.

Warnock said: “The subs, I feel, made a difference – and that’s what squads are about. It was a good fightback. We played some good stuff before the goal.

“I like German but he has a lot to learn. I had given him a bit of roasting; he was offside once when he shouldn’t have been. But he has been absent for two weeks. He has been on antibiotics for a bad tooth.”
Star man: Guillame Bauza (Swansea)
Yellow card: QPR: Richards
Referee: C Boyeson
Attendance: 15,502
QPR: Ikeme 6, Ramage 6, Connolly 6, Gorkss 6, Hill 4, Buzsaky 7 (Cook 58min, 6), Leigertwood 7, Faurlin 6, Ephraim 6 (Vine 72min), Priskin 5 (German 58min, 7), Taarabt 7
Swansea: De Vries 6, Rangel 6, Tate 6, Williams 6, Richards 6, Britton 6, Gower 7 (Beattie 88min), Dyer 7 (Butler 82min), Bauza 7, Cotterill 7 (Van Der Gun 66min), Kuqi 7 The Times


NEWS OF THE WORLD - ANTONIO GERMAN SPOILS PARTY
TON-DERFUL - Antonio German gets the leveller for Rangers
QPR 1-1 Swansea
20/03/2010

ANTONIO GERMAN ruined his old Rangers boss Paulo Sousa's revenge mission with his 75th-minute equaliser.

Swansea chief Sousa was making his first return to Loftus Road since he was axed last April after just five months at the helm.


And the Portuguese coach was heading for a sweet victory against his former club when Nathan Dyer ended his four-month goal drought in the 57th minute.

But Rangers substitute German, who was a youth-team player during Sousa's reign, spoiled his one-time boss' afternoon with his second goal of the season.

Sousa said: "We had enough chances to win this game. I don't think a draw is a fair result. I'm happy for Antonio but not so happy for us.

"Antonio was playing for the Under-17s when I was here and he has a bright future.

"I wish him all the best and we've now got to make sure we stay in the top six."

Rangers manager Neil Warnock admitted goal hero German had shaken off a tooth problem to face Swansea.

He explained: "Antonio wasn't fully fit because he has been suffering with a tooth abscess. He has been on antibiotics for two weeks and he had to have the tooth out.

"He took his goal well. I'm still getting to know the young players here but I like the look of him."

Swansea almost stunned Rangers in the 12th minute when Dyer hit the post after latching on to Shefki Kuqi's flick-on.

Dyer fired Swansea into a deserved lead early in the second half.

He clipped the ball past Carl Ikeme after Guillem Bauza's pass was deflected into his path after hitting unlucky Rangers defender Matthew Hill.

Teenager German levelled when he stabbed home from two yards after Dorus de Vries palmed Rowan Vine's effort as far as the striker. News of The World


WALES ON LINE - Dyer ends goal drought but Swans search for elusive Rangers win goes on - Mar 21 2010 by Steve Tucker, Wales On Sunday
- IN their long history, Swansea City have never won at Loftus Road.
They’ll be kicking themselves they did not put that right here.

After taking the lead thanks to a somewhat fortuitous strike from Nathan Dyer, they seemed to be totally in control against a Rangers side who are rapidly running out of things to play for this season, apart from perhaps ensuring new boss Neil Warnock doesn’t shout at them.

But, despite the apparent meanness of the Swansea defence this campaign, they can’t seem to cut out the odd error which costs them.

And that is just what happened here with barely a quarter of an hour left.

QPR’s equaliser came from a corner floated in high by substitute Lee Cook and, for once, the holy trinity of Dorus de Vries, Alan Tate and Ashley Williams sinned badly.

The trio failed to clear the danger and Rowan Vine’s shot fell perfectly for Antonio German to lash home from just a few yards out.

As is so often the way in football, it was typical that young German was plucked from the Rangers’ Under-17s by a certain Paulo Sousa during his five months in charge at the London club last season.

After the final whistle, indeed, Sousa did not know whether to sing the 18-year-old’s praises or wring his neck.

In fact Sousa, back at his old haunt for the first time since getting fired, was probably in two minds over how to react to this result in general.

It was a point that moved the Swans up into fourth in the Championship, at least until results today. And a point away from home against anyone at this stage of the season is not to be sniffed at.

But in the first half here, in particular, Swansea carved out a clutch of pretty good chances that really should have resulted in them going in ahead at the break.

Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that if it does all end in tears for the Swans this season then it will be an inability to stick the ball in the net which will be blamed.

The strike which actually did put them ahead on 57 minutes came with such a large slice of luck you could almost believe Swansea are destined for big things already.

Guillem Bauza’s through ball for Nathan Dyer was so massively over-hit the only result could possibly be that it would end up in the arms of home goalkeeper Carl Ikeme.

But on its way to doing just that it hit unfortunate defender Matthew Hill and dropped perfectly in the path of Dyer, who calmly slotted home past the now horribly exposed Ikeme.

It was Dyer’s second goal of the campaign and his first since his unlikely header against arch-rivals Cardiff City way back in November.

Although, Dyer had come as close to scoring as is feasibly possible without doing so after 12 minutes.

A De Vries goal-kick was flicked on by Shefki Kuqi and Dyer slipped through a split Rangers defence only to see his effort bounce back off the inside of the post.

That was the first of a series of chances in the first period that Swansea crafted.

On 19 minutes the hapless Hill almost put the ball in his own net trying to quell the danger following a sublime Dyer take-down. And as the half came to an end Kuqi put a header wide from a Mark Gower corner, the battering-ram of a forward getting down the right channel only to see his shot saved by Ikeme.

But with the first period almost over came a great Swansea chance. Kuqi was this time the provider, firing in from the right, but Bauza got a poor connection on his shot, which made things easy for the home keeper when really they should not have been.

This was the Spaniard’s first start of the season though and overall he did an excellent job in a less familiar deeper role, with Darren Pratley consigned to the bench with a tight hamstring.

Skipper Garry Monk was also left out as a precaution by Sousa over fears of a re-occurrence of his calf problem.

Swansea’s lead had only lasted three minutes when Rangers came close to levelling. Cook hoisted in a free-kick from the flank and defender Kaspars Gorkss saw his header drop just wide of the post.

But Swansea almost doubled their lead after 65 minutes when Bauza forced a good diving save from Ikeme.

Yet the impetus really swung to the home side after Rangers’ equaliser with Warnock’s men made of sterner stuff than at any time in a season when the managers’ office has had a revolving door. But Warnock himself is changing, too. When Matthew Connolly nodded home a deflected free-kick near the death, the home crowd were so convinced they had snatched it they even put on that silly goal celebration music they play, only for the assistant to raise his flag for offside. Warnock himself later agreed with the decision before praising the officials.

What ever next? A Swansea win at Loftus Road sometime? WalesonLine


QPR Official Site
Antonio German came off the bench to grab a point for QPR in their entertaining clash with promotion-chasing Swansea City at Loftus Road.

It was no more than Rangers deserved for another battling performance in West London, though they had to come back from a goal down when Nathan Dyer finished smartly after a ball from deep hit the back of Matt Hill.

The R's weren't to be beaten, however, and after Adel Taarabt's corner was knocked back by substitute Rowan Vine into the direction of German, he made little mistake to fire home from close range.

QPR had chances to win it, though Matt Connolly's header that was ruled out for offside was as close as they came, as the hosts picked up another welcome point.

Rangers gaffer Neil Warnock was forced into changes for the first time since taking over as boss at the start of the month.

Damion Stewart missed out owing to a one-match suspension for a red card received in the midweek loss at Reading, while Jay Simpson suffered a knock in training yesterday (Friday) that ruled him out of the Swans clash.

That meant Peter Ramage and Akos Buzsaky both came into the starting line-up.

Carl Ikeme was in goal for the R's.

Ramage and Hill started at full-back, while Connolly came into the centre of defence to partner Kaspars Gorkss.

In midfield, Buzsaky and Hogan Ephraim began the game from the flanks, supported by Mikele Leigertwood and Alejandro Faurlin from the middle.

Taarabt played just off Tamas Priskin up front.

There wasn't much to choose between the two sides in the opening minutes, though it was the R's who fashioned two half chances to find an opener.

Ramage nodded a header onto Taarabt just past halfway, before the midfielder controlled the ball and unleashed a low drive from 30 yards that went straight at Dorus De Vries.

Moments later, QPR were on the attack once again. Gorkss played a ball from deep into the path of Buzsaky, who flashed a shot just wide from the edge of the box.

Taarabt then produced a flurry of skills down the right-hand side allowing Buzsaky to flash over a cross that was driven wide from close-range by Priskin, who was under pressure from his defensive opponent.

Swansea, however, were by no means passengers in the match, and they came closest yet the notching a first goal when Shefki Kuqi flicked on for Dyer, whose shot came off the foot of the post and back into play before it was cleared up field.

Soon after, a ball was played from deep over the top of the R's backline and into the path of Dyer, and just as it looked as though he was to have a clean shot at goal, Hill intervened to clear the ball away - albeit with a slightly fortuitous deflection off Ikeme - for a corner kick.

Just before the interval, lovely build up play involving Hill, Leigertwood and Taarabt resulted in Buzsaky cutting in from the left before firing a low shot at De Vries in the City net.

Swansea created a chance of their own as the half came to a close. Mark Gower's pinpoint cross found the head of Kuqi, who headed just over the bar.

Moments later, Kuqi was involved yet again when he raced down the right-hand side of the penalty area before crossing for Guillem Bauza, who drove straight at Ikeme from close range.

As the second half got underway, it was Swansea who were first on the offensive, and Gower forced a smart save from Ikeme when his goal-bound cross from a free-kick had to be tipped over the crossbar.

Play then switched to the other end, and when Leigertwood picked the ball up around 25-yards out, his low drive was collected well by De Vries.

Soon after, David Cotterill fired in a set-piece at Ikeme that he had little trouble in catching for QPR.

The R's keeper was helpless to keep out the Swans' next attempt, however, as they rather fortuitously took a 57th minute lead at Loftus Road.

Bauza's ball from midway hit the back of Hill on the edge of the penalty area, putting Dyer through one-on-one with Ikeme in the R's net. The midfielder made no mistake to tuck to ball away low into the left-hand corner.

Play then switched the other end, where the R's missed a great chance to level.

Rangers substitute Lee Cook's delicious free-kick from the right was nodded goalwards by the unmarked Connolly, who headed just wide with keeper De Vries soundly beaten.

There could be no doubt that the R's were now the stronger force as they looked to level matters.

Following a sustained spell of pressure, they forced a deserved equaliser with just under 15 minutes remaining in W12.

Taarabt played a corner over from the left that was clipped back across goal at the back post from Vine, before German snuck in to smash home.

Buoyed by the equaliser, QPR then wasted no time of searching for a winner.

Faurlin soon received the ball on the edge of the box before he smashed high and wide of the bar.

The R's thought they had won it with five minutes to go.

Taarabt's smashed free-kick bounced up off the wall before Connolly raced around the back to nod in, but the assistant official deemed him to be in an offside position.

QPR: Ikeme, Ramage, Leigertwood, Buzsaky (Cook 58), Gorkss, Connolly, Faurlin, Hill, Ephraim (Vine 73), Priskin (German 58), Taarabt. Subs: Balanta, Cerny, Brown, Oastler. Goals: German (76)
Swansea City: Devries, Williams, Tate, Britton, Dyer (Butler 84), Rangel, Bauza, Gower (Beattie 89), Richards, Kuqi, Cotterill (Van Der Gun 66).
Subs: Cornell, Pratley, Pintado, Trundle.
Goals: Dyer (57)
Bookings: Richards Referee: Mr C Boyeson Attendance: 15, 502 QPR


Updated Table - BBC
1 Newcastle 37 43 77
2 West Brom 38 34 75
3 Nottm Forest 38 21 67
4 Swansea 38 6 61
5 Leicester 36 11 60
6 Cardiff 36 14 55
7 Sheff Utd 38 3 53
8 Doncaster 38 4 52
9 Blackpool 38 6 51
10 Middlesbrough 38 7 50
11 Coventry 37 -7 50
12 Barnsley 37 -10 49
13 Reading 36 -3 48
14 Preston 38 -8 48
15 Ipswich 38 -6 47
16 Bristol City 38 -12 46
17 QPR 37 -5 45
18 Derby 38 -11 44
19 Watford 35 -6 42
20 Scunthorpe 37 -23 41
21 Sheff Wed 38 -18 40
22 Crystal Palace 37 -2 39
23 Plymouth 37 -17 34
24 Peterborough 38 -21 30
BBC Table