Championship - QPR hit back to down Derby

Eurosport - Fri, 23 Oct 19:00:00 2009

Queens Park Rangers came from two goals down to defeat Derby County 4-2 at Pride Park in the Championship.

Jay Simpson, Derby v QPR, PA Photos - 0

The home side raced into a two goal lead, with Robbie Savage instrumental in both goals - setting up the first for Paul Dickov before scoring the second.

Stand out player Adel Taarabt halved the deficit going into the break before Gavin Mahon restored parity immediately after it. Jay Simpson put the visitors ahead for the first time in the 59th minute before Akos Buzsaky fired in a last minute penalty.

QPR came into the match on the cusp of a wave, having claimed 13 of their last 18 available points, but Derby - hovering over the relegation zone but urged on by a partisan home crowd of just over 31,000 - started the brighter of the two sides and were ahead in the 10th minute courtesy of some sloppy defending and quick thinking from Savage.

Standing over a free-kick some 25 yards out and to the right of Radek Cerny's goal, former Wales international Savage poked the ball through a gapping hole in the visitors' defence and Dickov instinctively fired home from just inside the box.

The intent with which Derby took the game to QPR was indicative of the competitiveness of the Championship this season and although QPR were in control for large swathes of the first half Derby were the side with the greater goal threat.

In a rare foray forward for the hosts, Dickov drew a dubious free-kick from Damion Stewart that Savage whipped up and over the wall to double the home side's advantage.

Content, Derby sat back and encouraged pressure from their visitors and when Adel Taarabt went down under the challenge of Savage, the Moroccan picked himself up and curled the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner.

Having completely conceded the initiative, Derby were immediately under pressure after the break. Taarabt found Wayne Routledge with an angled ball behind Paul Connolly, which the diminutive winger squared for Mahon to restore parity from six yards out.

The visitors were completely in control and were playing some wonderfully intricate stuff, but they took the lead courtesy of a long ball. On-loan Arsenal man Jay Simpson took down a hoisted ball before holding off his man, maintaining composure and slotting past Stephen Bywater.

With Derby pressing for an equaliser, QPR broke and Routledge won a penalty that Buzsaky dispatched to complete a remarkable turnaround for the visitors.

As the final whistle blew and the boos rang out around a disgruntled Pride Park, Nigel Clough's side will look upon themselves as unfortunate not to have got something from a game that they had their fair share of chances in.

Marcus Foley / Eurosport

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  1. Never felt more like singing the blues, Forest win* and­ Derby lose oh oh oh you got me singing the blues SING­ SING SING (*well nearly)
    Savage is such a­ ponce...loving it

    From al, on Sun 25 Oct 11:10PM
  2. besa, are you an agent

    From STEVE, on Sun 25 Oct 12:15AM
  3. QPR should buy this players:dawson and­ bale(tottenham),lucas(liverpool),hudlestone(tottenham),­ vela(arsenal),anichebe(everton),jorge andrade(free­ agent),sol campbell(free agent)

    From besa, on Sun 25 Oct 12:04AM
  4. Hark at Bobby boy, stirring things up....

    From Jon, on Sat 24 Oct 3:24PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ting tong:

    Walks the walk, then he­ "minces".

    Keep talking, someday you'll­ say something intelligent!

    From Bobby Robson A Legend, on Fri 23 Oct 9:49PM
  6. well suck me @#$% Cameron! i'll go to the­ strawberry instead....

    From ting tong, on Fri 23 Oct 6:44PM
  7. Fool, show your face at 8 o' clock and i'll buy­ you a pint or 2; the alcohol will numb your pain as i­ stick the nut on you!

    From cameron w, on Fri 23 Oct 6:21PM
  8. well me old black n white puddings i'll be in­ Shearers bar about 8.00 if ye fancy slaggin the doon­ army off with me..see ye there

    From ting tong, on Fri 23 Oct 5:28PM
  9. Boro to win 4-1 at Preston.
    All out to show the Keegan­ what they are made of.
    Arca is class and a welcome back­ to him.

    From I know how, on Fri 23 Oct 3:38PM
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