Burrell scores twice as QPR beat West Brom
QPR 3Varane (45’+4)
Burrell (61′, 87′)
West Brom 1Heggebo (76′)
In-form striker Rumarn Burrell scored twice as QPR beat West Bromwich Albion at Loftus Road.
A rare goal by Jonathan Varane put Rangers ahead near the end of the first half and Burrell netted on 59 minutes.
Aune Heggebo pulled a goal back for Albion but Burrell scored again late on to seal a deserved win for Rangers – his eighth goal in 10 matches and his ninth of the season.
Neither side created a clear-cut chance before Rangers took the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time.
Nicolas Madsen delivered an excellent cross from the right flank and Varane headed into the bottom corner of the net from close range.
Rangers keeper Paul Nardi then produced a fine save to keep out George Campbell’s header.
The first half ended on a worrying note for the hosts when key playmaker Ilias Chair, who has been plagued by injury problems and recently returned to action, limped off.
Albion made a determined start to the second half and Heggebo missed a chance to equalise when he headed onto the roof of the net.
But Rangers remained a threat and, shortly after the game was halted for a few minutes because of a medical emergency in the crowd – a fan appeared to be okay when subsequently being led away by medics – Burrell made it 2-0.
His strike partner Richard Kone caught Alex Mowett in possession and Burrell emphatically capitalised by firing home from near the edge of the six-yard box.
Nardi then produced a crucial double save, denying Campbell and then superbly stopping Callum Styles’ follow-up.
And Burrell missed a chance to make it three when he beat keeper Joe Wildsmith to the ball only to shoot over with the goal gaping.
Had that gone in, Rangers would probably have been able to see the game out even more comfortably.
Instead they saw their lead halved by Heggebo’s 76th-minute goal – the Norwegian’s sixth in his past five games.
Styles served up a cross from the left and Heggebo climbed above Jimmy Dunne to head into the far corner.
But Burrell struck again on 87 minutes to seal the victory for Julien Stephan’s side.
Kone was again involved, getting the better of Campbell on the left and forcing a save from Wildsmith, whose parry fell straight to Burrell, who tapped in.
QPR: Nardi, Mbengue, Dunne, Clarke-Salter (Cook 77), Norrington-Davies; Saito (Smyth 77), Varane, Madsen; Chair (Dembele 45); Kone (Frey 90), Burrell.
Subs not used: Walsh, Frey, Poku, Hayden, Morrison, Cook, Morgan, Smyth.
