Mark top-six hopes are Brown and out
A FRUSTRATED Mark Warburton saw QPR’s play-off bid virtually killed off with defeat at Stoke.
The Potters, who were without boss Michael O’Neill after hip replacement surgery in midweek, dominated the game throughout and coasted to victory.
Jacob Brown’s 13th strike of the season proved enough to separate the two sides as he rifled home from close range moments before the interval.
The visiting Rs, who sat three points beneath the play-offs prior to the game, hit the post through a George Thomas header.
Defeat means Warburton’s side are now six points adrift of sixth spot with only two games remaining.
“I talk a lot about having no regrets in what you do, and if you leave the pitch with no regrets then you can hold your head high,” said the QPR boss.
“Maybe they need to feel that regret.
“You have to learn and you can’t sit there and accept what’s going on. We have to learn and take responsibility and be better both individually and collectively.
“We’ve got two games to beat last year’s points total and we’ll see then where that leaves us.
“But it is frustrating because the team were in a really strong position and we’ve let ourselves down.”
Stoke’s assistant manager Dean Holden said: “It was good to get a 90-minute performance at home, which we’ve not done enough of.
“It was a pleasing day all round but the big frustration is that it’s five wins from seven and it’s too little, too late. But at the same time, nobody can question the character of the players as well.”
STOKE: Bursik 6; Wilmot 6, Jagielka 6, Harwood-Bellis 7; Smith 6, Allen 5, Baker 7, Sawyers 7 (Clucas 82nd), Tymon 7; Brown 7 (Campbell 90th), Maja 6 (Fletcher (75th) 6)
QPR: Westwood 7; Barbet 6, Dunne 5, Sanderson 5, McCallum 6; Dozzell 6, Field 6; Chair 6, Amos 5 (Adomah (57th) 6); Dykes 5 (Austin (57th) 6), Thomas 7 (Gray (70th) 6)
STAR MAN: Jacob Brown
REF: A Woolmer