Late Villa goal denies QPR in thrilling battle

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Aston Villa 3 QPR 3

QPR were denied a priceless victory by a late free-kick from Christian Benteke, who scored a hat-trick in the crucial relegation battle at Villa Park.

Matty Phillips gave Rangers a seventh-minute lead but Benteke equalised three minutes later and put Aston Villa ahead shortly after the half-hour mark.

Clint Hill levelled against the run of play and Charlie Austin’s 77th-minute goal put QPR within sight of a win which would have lifted them out of the relegation zone and left Villa in it.

However, Benteke rescued a point for the hosts with a glorious strike with seven minutes remaining.

It meant Rangers, 4-1 winners at West Brom on Saturday, stayed in the bottom three.

But the point moved them up a place to 18th, two points behind Hull City and in with a fighting chance of avoiding the drop.

Phillips headed home Bobby Zamora’s cross before Benteke cut in from the left and directed a curling shot beyond keeper Rob Green.

Benteke struck again when he sprinted away from Hill and finished well after Gabby Agbonlahor got the better of Sandro and sent the in-form striker through on goal.

Rangers were fortunate not to go further behind before the interval when Leandro Bacuna’s cross was headed narrowly wide by Agbonlahor.

Villa continued to dominate after the restart but were pegged back by Hill’s header from Phillips’ corner.

Again against the run of play, Chris Ramsey’s side scored a third to leave the home fans stunned.

And again Phillips was involved, wriggling away from Kieran Richardson and crossing for Austin to net his 17th goal of the season.

A defeat would have been rough on Villa, who were on top for much of a pulsating game in the battle for top-flight survival.

QPR: Green, Isla (Henry 53), Onuoha, Caulker, Hill, Phillips, Barton, Sandro (Doughty 70), Kranjcar (Traore 53), Zamora, Austin.
Subs not used: McCarthy, Hoilett, Mitchell, Doughty, Grego-Cox.

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