Chair lifts Hoops to repay Marti’s faith

CONVICTED criminal Ilias Chair received a standing ovation yesterday as QPR took a giant step towards safety.

Chair was sentenced to a year in prison in Belgium last week for assaulting a man and breaking his skull with a rock.

But boss Marti Cifuentes had no regrets about his decision to start the Morocco international, who is appealing the verdict.

He was at fault for Tom Eaves’ shock opener but Paul Smyth equalised and Chair set up Chris Willock for the winner – and was applauded off when he was substituted late on.

That ensured a third consecutive win for QPR who moved out of the Championship’s bottom three on goal difference.

Cifuentes said: “I think the club already made a clear statement about the situation. He was available and I am happy for him.

“It was a very good performance in a very important game for us. I don’t want to comment so much about this.”

Cifuentes admitted before kick-off that there would be plenty of tension at Loftus Road. That was ratcheted up when Eaves struck the opener for bottom club Rotherham after seven minutes.

Chair’s sliced clearance allowed Sam Nombe to head right into his path for an easy finish. But Rangers levelled on 61 minutes as Willock slipped in Smyth.

And Chair then teed up Willock with 15 minutes to go for the winner – a thunderbolt from 25 yards.

Leam Richardson, whose side stretched their record run without an away win to 30 games, said: “An awful habit, going in front and then losing by one goal. What needs to change? All sorts.”

QPR: Begovic 6; Dunne 6, Cook 6, Clarke-Salter 6, Paal 7 (Larkeche (84) 6); Hayden 5 (Field (46) 6), Colback 6; Willock 8, Hodge 5 (Smyth (46) 6), Chair 7 (Andersen (90) 5); Frey 7 (Dykes (84) 6)

ROTHERHAM: Johansson 6; Odoffin 5, Morrison 6, Humphreys 6 (Appiah (85) 6); Tiehi 6; Seriki 5 (Cafu (56) 6), Rinomhota 5 (Lindsay (85) 6), Clucas 6, Kioto 6; Eaves 7 (Wyke (78) 6), Nombe 7 (Hugill (78) 6)

STAR MAN: Chris Willock – Decisive contributions.

REF: Matthew Donohue 6