QPR 2-1 Bolton
QPR rode their luck, but a 15th goal of the season for Charlie Austin and a first in four years for Karl Henry was enough to see Harry Redknapp’s promotion chasers add to Bolton’s relegation worries.
It could have been a different story had Austin not shrugged off a first-half shoulder injury – a knock which eventually saw him substituted with 20 minutes to go.
Austin had already survived a nasty clash of heads with Tim Ream after just 15 seconds which saw the Bolton defender unable to continue after suffering a broken nose and a cut which required three stiches.
Henry capitalised on Bolton’s failure to clear a Benoit Assou-Ekotto corner to ease nerves early in the second half, drilling a shot from the edge of the box, but they were set jangling once more when Jay Spearing struck his first goal of the season with five minutes remaining.
But after being heavily strapped following the blow to his shoulder, Austin returned to finish a move he started by heading home Matt Phillips’ cross four minutes before the break.
Henry capitalised on some poor defender from a Benoit Assou-Ekotto corner to ease nerves five minutes after the break, but they were set jangling once more when Jay Spearing struck with five minutes to go.
The result was certainly a tad harsh on Bolton who had edged the first half and the visitors were unlucky to see Craig Davies’ 25-yard screamer rattle the bar.
But Bolton’s relegation worries increased just five minutes into the second half when Karl Henry latched onto a poor clearance to drill home QPR’s second.
Substitute Chung-Yong Lee did managed to force a good save from Green as the half wore on, the former England international tipping the 25-yard drive over.
By then Redknapp’s boys were playing like a side with a two goal cushion while the introduction of loan signing Lukas Jutkiewicz in place of Craig Davies sparked chants of ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ in the direction of Bolton a manger Dougie Freedman.
With 20 minutes to go Redknapp decided Austin night’s work was done, a wise move given how vital he is tot the QPR promotion cause, Bobby Zamora his replacement.
But just as it looked as if Zamora’s introduction would result in a third for QPR, Bolton ensured a nervy finish with five minutes remaining when Jay Spearing’s strike from the left-hand side of the box appeared to take a slight deflection leaving Green wrong-footed.
QPR assistant manager, Kevin Bond, conceded the performance had left a lot to be desired before conceding just how important Austin is to their promotion push.
‘Charlie has a problem with his shoulder and we don’t know quite what the extent is,’ said Bond.
‘He had to eventually come off. He had a go as long as he could. He scored a great header and we need him as everyone knows.
‘If they can keep going we will patch them all up but in the end it was too much for him. He is game as they come.
‘As if we needed reminding, we know we need some help in that department and all of a sudden Charlie goes off injured.
‘Harry will be working tirelessly between now and Friday (to sign a striker) although I’m not quite sure where we are with that.’
—Daily Mail