PAWEL IN TO PUNISH VILLA
ASTON VILLA lost their cool as Pawel Wszolek maintained QPR’s dramatic revival under Steve McClaren.
New Villa boss Dean Smith knows the former European champions will be a huge scalp everywhere they go again this season.
And McClaren’s upwardly mobile Rangers were fired up on the pitch – and off it – as the home fans taunted Smith’s No.2 John Terry throughout.
He came under fire, not only due to his Chelsea links, but for previously being banned and fined by the FA for racial abuse towards QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.
Rangers winger Wszolek piled on the misery for Terry in a heated game that saw Villa’s Jonathan Kodjia spark a melee by kicking the ball at Toni Leistner on the half-time whistle.
That only fired up the hosts as they held firm in the face of wave after wave of Villa attacks.
Their third victory in just seven days moved them closer to the play-off places – an unthinkable prospect as they propped up the table just six weeks ago.
Rangers defender and man-of-the-match Joel Lynch said: “This is down to hard work. We had the grit and determination to stay in the game and hold on to the lead.”
Smith took a night off to watch favourite band U2 on Wednesday.
Maybe he should have watched more QPR videos instead because the new man still hasn’t found what he is looking for.
John McGinn and Jack Grealish had come close early on for the visitors.
Grealish then almost caught out Hoops keeper Joe Lumley with a 30-yard free-kick that hit the post.
Boiled
But Wszolek fired Rangers ahead after 38 minutes against the run of play.
The Polish winger timed his run on to a Geoff Cameron pass to perfection and smashed the ball home past keeper Orjan Nyland via the underside of the bar.
Villa’s frustration boiled over and players had to be pulled apart following the flashpoint involving Kodjia.
The Villa forward almost had the last laugh as he teed-up Tammy Abraham but the on-loan striker somehow missed the target from five yards out.
Smith threw on Yannick Bolasie – and he brought a good save from Lumley to sum up Villa’s frustrating night.
Rangers boss McClaren said: “We brought in some experienced players which lifted the squad. They’ve given us belief.
“I’m so happy. We had to defend our box well. All over the park we won our duels.
“Our two central defenders were immense. You have to make yourselves hard to beat and we are at the moment.”
Villa boss Smith said: “We didn’t deserve to lose.
“It’s frustrating, we have got to convert our chances.”