No Rowlands (injury) and no Watson (suspension), so it's Faurlin and Mahon in the center of midfield. QPR: Cerny; Ramage, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Buzsaky, Mahon, Faurlin, Routledge; Simpson, Taarabt. Subs: Heaton, Hall, Vine, Agyemang, Alberti, Ainsworth, Harris. Preston North End: Lonergan, Hart, Chaplow, Mawene, Collins, Sedgwick, Shumulikoski, Brown, Jones, Wallace, Mellor. Subs: Carter, Chilvers, Parry, Henderson, Parkin, Nolan, Elliott. We're about 6:30 in... nothing dangerous yet by either side. 0-0. [R] in this thread for all English games today. Scunthorpe beat Sheffield United 3-1. Chelsea fell today at Villa Park.
Mahon with a classy turn and pass that almost put Taarabt through. The keeper got out in time to gather it, but it was the most dangerous moment thus far.
GOAL QPR! Taarabt with a "truly sensational" strike, getting away from three players and firing home a curling ball from about 25 yards! QPR 1-0 Preston.
Routledge went down in the box, but the ball goes out and the call is for a goal kick. R's fans want a penalty, PNE fans want a booking for a dive. The commentator says it would be a harsh decision and the referee is having a word with Wayne, but no card. The commentator thought there was some contact, but that Routledge went down too readily, as well.
Shot by PNE's Ross Wallace goes over the crossbar for a QPR goal kick. Best chance for them in awhile.
Routledge shoots in a one-on-one situation, saved by the keeper, to Taarabt who couldn't do anything with it. The commentator thought Routledge should have scored. He went low with a "tame effort" and it was saved.
Buzsaky with a nice shot from distance "it had curl," "it had power" and he came "a lick of paint away." Still 1-0. Heading toward the half.
Borrowdale with a nice shot. Tipped over by the keeper Lonergan. QPR corner (second of the day). We passed it around a bit then a Gorkss header went wide.
Simpson, who has been rather silent, went for a shot (saved by Lonergan) when the commentator thought he should have found an open Taarabt. Just now, Cerny with a nice save, it's out for a PNE corner. Chris Brown with a shot low toward the bottom corner. Preston's best chance thus far. R's clear the corner.
SIMPSON GOAL! Nicely done! 3-0! Shot was from about 12 yards. Buzsaky with the final pass, but I think Simpson has to shake a man to get the shot off.
Taarabt with a shot; deflected and then saved by Lonergan. Good performance by the R's. Taarabt sounds like man of the match with he and Routledge and Buzsaky causing problems at different points. I guess with Faurlin and Mahon behind them all three had freedom to get very far forward into the attack, making up for having only one forward.
Routledge scores! 4-0! "A thunderbolt low into the corner." He also called it "the best of the lot" which is hard to believe, considering how good Taarabt's sounded. Can't wait to see the highlights.
Routledge comes off; Gareth Ainsworth comes on! Good to see Gaz get a few minutes... his first time in league play since May '08.