By NEIL GOULDING at Deepdale
CAMERON ARCHER’S second-half winner condemned misfiring QPR to a fifth straight league defeat.
The Aston Villa loan star sparkled with his seventh goal of the season as Preston proved too hot to handle for misfiring Rangers.
Jimmy Dunne’s own goal set the home side on their way and Archer netted five minutes after the break with a sublime strike to give Villa boss Steven Gerrard plenty to admire from afar.
Substitute Andre Gray scored a consolation penalty with virtually the last kick after Daniel Johnson had needlessly fouled Sam Field.
But Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe still wasn’t happy and said: “I just thought it (our performance) was flat. I wasn’t sure what I was watching for the first 20-30 minutes, we kept giving the ball away.
“It’s back-toback wins which I’m pleased with, but there were large parts of the game where I wasn’t pleased.
“But we created some fantastic chances and could have possibly scored more than two.”
The hosts were forced to soak up plenty of first-half pressure. Sam McCallum fizzed a shot wide and keeper Daniel Iversen produced a fine save to thwart Andre Dozzell.
Having weathered the early storm Emil Riis pounced two minutes before the break, his attempt going in off Dunne to put North End ahead.
And Archer’s deflected strike saw the Lancashire hosts take control of proceedings before Gray’s late goal.
“It’s disappointing, but we need to stick together,” said QPR boss Mark Warburton. “There’s still a lot to play for.” PRESTON: Iversen 7; van den Berg 6, Bauer 6, Hughes 7; Whiteman 6; McCann 6, Browne 6, Johnson 5, Cunningham 7 (Murphy 70, 5); Archer 8 (O’Neill 90), Riis 7 (Maguire 45, 5).
Subs not used: Rafferty, Ripley, Sinclair, Diaby.
QPR: Maloney 7; Odubajo 5, Sanderson 5, Dunne 6; McCallum 5; Johansen 6, Field 5, Amos 5 (Thomas 57, 5), Dozzell 6; Dykes 5 (Austin 68, 5), Chair 6 (Gray 69, 6).
Subs not used: Kakay, Ball, Adomah.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Cameron Archer: The Aston Villa loanee impressed and bagged his seventh goal of the season. REFEREE: Tony Harrington 7.