Loan star Hodge transfers heat on to Dahl Tomasson

TWO goals in three minutes helped QPR chalk up their first win at Ewood Park in 25 years – and piled the pressure on Blackburn Rovers’ top brass.

Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson was not allowed to talk to the press by the club before the match and is clearly not happy about transfer policy restrictions.

He signed a bagful of short-term loan players before the January deadline but was not allowed to spend much of the expected £22million brought in from the sale of young prospect Adam Wharton to Crystal Palace.

Tomasson revealed after the game: “When I was told in summer of the budget cuts, I offered to go, but they asked me to carry on.

“I believe we should always be open and not leave the fans in the dark.”

It was tough on Rovers when a shot by Ilias Chair hit a post, zipped across the goal-line and rebounded off keeper Aynsley Pears into the net.

Minutes later, just seven minutes into his loan debut from Wolves, Joe Hodge smashed in a long-range blast. Striker Sam Gallagher pulled one back for Rovers and nearly scored another.

Delighted QPR manager Marti Cifuentes said: “Our work is paying off and we are seeing the results.

“We had luck with the rebound goal but we went on to add to it.

“There’s a big task ahead and we still need a lot of victories.” BLACKBURN: Pears 7; Rankin-costello 7, Hyam 6, Wharton 6, Chrisene 6; Tronstad 5, Moran 5, Dolan 5 (Ayari (66) 5), Sigurdsson 5 (Markanday (66) 6); Gallagher 7, Szmodics 6 (Telalovic (85) 6) QPR: Begovic 6; Cannon 6, Cook 6, Clarke-salter 6, Paal 5 (Larkeche (79) 5); Colback 6, Dixon-bonner 5 (Hayden (57) 6); Willock 6 (Smyth (57) 5), Dykes 6 (Hodge (57) 6), Chair 7; Armstrong 6 (Frey (77) 5) STAR MAN: Ilias Chair – Lively and forced the opportunity to score opener. REF: Geoff Eltringham 6