‘Not perfect, but a good win’ – Stephan

Julien Stephan enjoyed QPR’s win at Swansea – their third victory in four away matches – despite them having problems against 10 men.

Rumarn Burrell’s first-half goal was enough to secure the points against the Welsh side, who played most of the match a player short after Malick Yalcouye was sent off for headbutting Steve Cook as they squared up to each other.

Rangers have now taken 19 points on the road since April and won nine of their past 12 matches against Welsh teams, keeping eight clean sheets against them in the process.

And while their performance was unconvincing at times, the result was the perfect response to Saturday’s home defeat against Millwall, which ended a six-match unbeaten run.

There was also a return to action for the fit-again Ilias Chair, who came on as a second-half substitute for the R’s – his first appearance since August.

Head coach Stephan said: “Very happy with the win and especially how we controlled the second half with the ball.

“It was not perfect – it would be perfect if we’d scored the second or third goal – but we scored when it was 11 against 11 and the red card probably changed the plan of Swansea.”

Rangers were ponderous after Yalcouye’s 34th-minute dismissal but had chances later in the game, with Cook having a header saved by keeper Lawrence Vigouroux, who also denied Chair after more good work by the lively Saito.

Chair should have scored – as should fellow substitute Jonathan Varane when he fired the loose ball wide of the target after Jimmy Dunne’s shot had hit the post.

“We had enough opportunities to score the second and third one. But it’s a good win for us,” said Stephan.

“We didn’t concede danger defensively. Our organisation defensively was very good. Defensively it was very good.”