Vale inspires QPR to win over Watford

QPR beat Watford 2-1 at Loftus Road to make it three consecutive wins and deal a seemingly fatal blow to the Hornets' already slim chances of reaching the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.

Rayan Kolli and Paul Smyth both scored their third goals in two matches, with the pair having netted twice in Rangers’ 6-1 thrashing of Portsmouth prior to the international break.

Kolli put Julien Stephan’s side ahead in the 26th minute and Smyth struck shortly after the hour.

Imran Louza pulled a goal back with a superb 85th-minute free-kick, but the visitors were unable to find an equaliser.

Harvey Vale helped set up both Rangers goals, continuing the impressive form that led to his recent Republic of Ireland call-up.

Shortly after finding space on the right and curling a left-footed shot against the far post, Vale crossed from a similar position towards Smyth, who headed back across goal for Kolli to nod QPR into the lead.

Rangers had been on top – they had a goal disallowed after 45 seconds when Amadou Mbengue challenged Jeremy Petris near the edge of the penalty area and slotted into the net, but he was adjudged to have fouled the left-back.

A good chance for the hosts was squandered when, during a swift counter-attack, Vale over-hit a pass to Smyth, who would have been in on goal, and keeper Egil Selvik was able to gather.

At the other end, goalkeeper Joe Walsh pushed away Luca Kjerrumgaard’s left-footed shot, and Watford seemed to be growing into the game before Kolli opened the scoring.

Rangers then almost scored a carbon copy of their goal. Again, the excellent Vale delivered a left-footed cross from the right which was directed back across goal by Smyth, but this time Kolli was denied by Selvik.

QPR were unlucky early in the second half when striker Richard Kone’s header from Rhys Norrington-Davies’ cross bounced off Smyth and whizzed wide.

But they doubled their lead in the 63rd minute after more good work by Vale, who delivered a low cross into the box and, after Daniel Bennie’s effort was blocked, Smyth pounced on the loose ball to score from close range.

Watford struggled to create clear-cut chances but their goal was a superb strike, with Louza’s free-kick flying beyond Walsh and into the far corner of the net.

Rangers’ win was thoroughly deserved, though, and took them level on points with Watford.

Josh Coburn (above) scored a brace against his former club as Millwall claimed a 2-1 victory over promotion rivals Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

An energetic first half from the hosts saw skipper Dael Fry head them in front, but former Boro striker Coburn spearheaded the comeback for the Lions with two second-half goals.

Three points means Millwall now leapfrog Middlesbrough in the table, moving into the automatic promotion spots as the Teessiders drop into the play-off positions.

Mo Belloumi (above, 10) scored inside four minutes of his return as play-off chasers Hull drew 1-1 at relegation-battlers Oxford.

The Algerian winger made it a dream start for the Tigers when he ran on to Semi Ajayi's long ball down the right, outpaced U’s left-back Ruben Roosken then cut in and shot low past Jamie Cumming.

Oxford equalised 10 minutes later, Cameron Brannagan converting a penalty after Charlie Hughes fouled Will Lankshear from behind as the striker broke into the box.

Substitute Mark Harris almost won it for the hosts at the end in stoppage time, but prodded his shot the wrong side of a post from a right-wing cross by Stan Mills.

The result was not ideal for either side, yet added another vital point to both sides’ tally.

Wrexham staged a dramatic second-half recovery to draw 2-2 at West Brom and move into the play-off places.

Isaac Price's free-kick deflected off George Dobson to give the hosts a lead that was built on before half-time by Josh Maja’s penalty – Albion’s first of the season.

Wrexham had not been at the races first half, but they levelled two minutes after the restart as Josh Windass curled home a beauty from 20 yards.

Parity was restored after 62 minutes when Lewis O’Brien and Dobson were left to dispute who got the final touch on a Callum Doyle cross.

Wrexham appeared the more likely team to win it at that stage, but they owed their point to Arthur Okonkwo’s incredible late save from Albion substitute Daryl Dike.

The draw takes Wrexham into sixth place, a point above Southampton who have a game in hand. The two sides meet in North Wales on Tuesday.

Captain Todd Cantwell's strike secured three vital points for Blackburn in their quest for survival as they edged past Birmingham 1-0 at St Andrew’s.

Cantwell (above) scored the only goal in the 69th minute when he fired past Blues goalkeeper James Beadle after good work from team-mate Ryoya Morishita, his effort enough to claim victory and pull Rovers six points clear of the relegation zone.

Birmingham, who had lost only twice at home this season before this meeting, have now suffered five defeats in seven games and their own once promising campaign is very much at risk of fizzling out.

Roy Hodgson (above) made a winning start as Bristol City interim head coach as they recorded a 2-1 victory at Charlton.

Centre-back Noah Eile's first goal since joining from New York Red Bulls at the start of February settled the Championship contest at the Valley.

Former England boss Hodgson made his return to club football for the first time since stepping down as Crystal Palace manager in February 2024.

And his City side made a strong start in south-east London with striker Emil Riis squandering a big chance inside the opening three minutes. The Dane was played clean through by Neto Borges but struck the outside of the right post.

The visitors were good value for their opening goal after 11 minutes. Scott Twine had already had a shot blocked by Amari’i Bell but made no mistake from inside the area after being picked out by Max Bird.

Patson Daka raced back from international duty to score twice and earn Leicester a point in their fight against relegation following a 2-2 draw against Preston.

Striker Daka, who started for the Foxes having played for Zambia against Argentina in Buenos Aires in the early hours of Wednesday, pounced on Andrew Moran's under-hit back-pass and sidestepped goalkeeper Daniel Iversen to roll in a fourth-minute opener from the edge of the penalty area.

Moran made amends for his error when he struck a 38th-minute equaliser – his first Preston goal since arriving from Brighton in February – taking on Lewis Dobbin’s pass and striking a shot that just crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.

Ben Whiteman then looped in a 45th-minute header from Alfie Devine’s corner to put the visitors on course for a second successive victory.

But Daka capitalised on another error to equalise in the 81st minute, pouncing to thrash an equaliser into the roof of the net after Pol Valentin had played the ball across the face of his own penalty area in trying to clear Abdul Fatawu’s cross.

Portsmouth put a desperate run of form behind them to boost their hopes of Championship survival with a gritty 1-1 draw at an in-form Norwich side.

An 84th-minute own goal from Pelle Mattsson earned the visitors a precious point after the same player had also opened the scoring for the Canaries midway through the opening half.

The late leveller was no more than Pompey deserved after taking a single point from their previous six games, while it ended a superb home run from Norwich, who had won their previous seven matches at Carrow Road.

FIXTURE, RESULTS AND STANDINGS

Swansea substitute Eom Ji-sung struck a late equaliser as his side hit back from two goals down to draw 3-3 at mid-table rivals Sheffield United.

Gus Hamer's opener for the Blades was cancelled out by Zan Vipotnik’s first-half penalty before Harrison Burrows and substitute Tom Cannon gave the home side a 3-1 lead.

But Swans pair Adam Idah and Eom stepped off the bench midway through the second half to rescue the Welsh side a point with a goal each in the final 15 minutes.

Elsewhere, Stoke cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday to extend their unbeaten home run to five matches.

Goals either side of half-time from Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Lamine Cisse ensured Stoke secured their first league double over Wednesday since 1970.

Leaders Coventry host Derby in the late kick-off.

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