MACKIE GIVES RANGERS THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

IAN HOLLOWAY praised the way QPR cleaned up their act after they secured a third consecutive league win. Just two weeks ago, after six defeats on the spin, Rangers were stinking and sinking in the Championship. Now, with this run and a first clean sheet in almost three months against Jaap Stam’s promotion-chasers, things are looking up. This impressive victory, their finest since Holloway’s November appointment, was provided by a brilliantly worked winner scored by Jamie Mackie and made by the excellent Pawel Wszolek and Ryan Manning. At the back, they were almost faultless with Joel Lynch and Grant Hall giants in a defence that would not let Jaap Stam’s men through. ‘What a change,’ said Holloway. ‘Sometimes you need to clear a blockage of the past to try to move forward. They were all blocked up. If your toilet’s blocked it doesn’t half stink! I don’t feel like such a hopeless, useless, new manager any more. Something’s clicked. That’s a great scalp tonight.’ Reading looked blunt and missed a chance to close in on the Championship top two. QPR were disruptive from the start, with five at the back and three stifling in midfield. Gareth McCleary sent a hopeful half-volley over before Yann Kermorgant was flagged for offside when through on goal. The visitors, though, boasted a real threat on the counterattack. First Idrissa Sylla, off balance, sent an effort wide and then on 28 minutes the goal arrived. Sylla unleashed Wszolek on a galloping run down the right and as he neared the byline he cut back to Manning on the edge of the area. Where most men would have shot wastefully, the 20-year-old showed the nonchalance to flick across the area to Mackie, unmarked and onside, who battered his shot home. In the second half Reading fought to find a breakthrough but QPR were equal to everything thrown at them. Manager Stam admitted: ‘We need to be realistic. We’re not there yet to say we want to win this league.’