Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Watford 1.
QPRQueens Park Rangers2WatfordWatford1
Top scorer Charlie Austin's late winner helped Queens Park Rangers beat Watford to secure their place in the Championship play-offs.
Sweden striker Mathias Ranegie swept in from close range to put the visitors ahead early in the second half.
Fourth-placed Rangers levelled through Joey Barton's precise free-kick from the edge of the Watford penalty box.
And the Hoops guaranteed a top-six finish when Austin curled in his 16th goal of the season.
Watford sit 12th in the table, six points adrift of sixth-placed Brighton with a game in hand and three matches left.
The Hornets were dominant from the start and Rangers goalkeeper Rob Green pulled off saves to deny Troy Deeney and Lewis McGugan.
Green pushed away Deeney's close-range effort after the interval but was finally beaten when Deeney knocked down Joel Ekstrand's cross and Ranegie span away from Richard Dunne and finished.
The hosts began to threaten and McGugan cleared a header from Austin before goalkeeper Manuel Almunia saved from Austin's drive.
Barton's free-kick pulled the home side level and Austin guided a shot past Almunia from Bobby Zamora's pass to secure the victory.
QPR assistant manager Kevin Bond: "I was impressed with Watford. They started both halves better than we did but we eventually got hold of the ball.
"It was great for Charlie to get back on the scoresheet. We've missed his goals and missed his presence.
"Apart from what he does on the field, psychologically when the teamsheet goes up and he's not been on it, we know he has won us games.
"We now need everybody fit and in good form for the play-offs. We need to get the momentum."
Watford boss Giuseppe Sannino: "It was a very important game for us, almost a must-win game, and we were knocked down when we tried to score from a corner.
"They counter-attacked very well and we conceded in a game in which I think we produced the best performance under my regime.
"Maybe I became too British. I like your culture and will to win until the last second of the game and if I'd kept three defenders back at that corner we might not have conceded the goal.
"But I don't have regrets, because that's the way I like to be and I'm pleased with my lads because we tried to score."
Line-ups
QPR
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Green
- 2SimpsonSubstituted forHoilettat 72'minutes
- 6Hill
- 10Carroll
- 15Onuoha
- 5Dunne
- 14DoyleSubstituted forZamoraat 72'minutes
- 17Barton
- 9AustinBooked at 86minsSubstituted forHenryat 90+1'minutes
- 4Morrison
- 3Traore
Substitutes
- 12Keane
- 13Yun
- 18Hughes
- 20Henry
- 23Hoilett
- 25Zamora
- 26Murphy
Watford
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Almunia
- 15RieraBooked at 55mins
- 18Pudil
- 4Angella
- 27Cassetti
- 6Ekstrand
- 22AbdiBooked at 60mins
- 28Tözsér
- 13RanegieBooked at 58mins
- 9Deeney
- 10McGuganSubstituted forBattocchioat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Battocchio
- 8Merkel
- 12Doyley
- 16Murray
- 19Faraoni
- 30Bond
- 31Hoban
- Referee:
- James Linington
- Attendance:
- 16,951
Match Stats
Home TeamQPRAway TeamWatford
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away5
- Corners
- Home8
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away19
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Watford 1.
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Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Daniel Tözsér (Watford).
Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Karl Henry replaces Charlie Austin because of an injury.
Goal!
Goal! Queens Park Rangers 2, Watford 1. Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bobby Zamora following a fast break.
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Corner, Watford. Conceded by Richard Dunne.
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Corner, Watford. Conceded by Tom Carroll.
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Junior Hoilett (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Joel Ekstrand (Watford).
Booking
Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers).
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Albert Riera (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Junior Hoilett (Queens Park Rangers).
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Daniel Pudil (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Ravel Morrison (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Charlie Austin.
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Attempt blocked. Armand Traore (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Joey Barton.
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Attempt blocked. Almen Abdi (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniel Pudil.
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Offside, Watford. Mathias Ranégie tries a through ball, but Troy Deeney is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Bobby Zamora.
