Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Blackburn Rovers: Yoann Barbet scores QPR winner
- Published
Yoann Barbet's goal against Blackburn was his first since 18 September
QPR defender Yoann Barbet ended his side's goal drought at home with a second-half strike to overcome play-off chasing Blackburn.
Rangers had failed to find the net in their past four games at Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, but the Frenchman's 53rd-minute finish was enough to secure victory.
Hoops goalkeeper Seny Dieng thwarted Blackburn's top scorer Adam Armstrong on several occasions as the home side held on doggedly.
The result lifts QPR two places to 16th, while Rovers remain eighth, six points off the top six.
QPR began brightly and could have snatched an early lead when Ilias Chair's deflected shot fell to Todd Kane, but the wing-back side-footed wide.
Blackburn grew stronger as the first half progressed, with Armstrong's pace causing problems for the home defence as he set up a good opportunity that Harvey Elliott blazed over the bar.
Armstrong might have opened the scoring himself with a curling free-kick, but he was foiled as Dieng flung out an arm to tip the shot over.
However, Barbet broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half, tucking in a close-range finish after Blackburn failed to clear Chair's free-kick and Geoff Cameron's follow-up had been blocked.
Rovers applied renewed pressure during the final half-hour, with Dieng diving to push away another Armstrong attempt and Rob Dickie charging down the rebound from Lewis Holtby's shot.
Lee Wallace also came to QPR's rescue as they clung on for the win, sliding in to deny Sam Gallagher following a rare error by Dieng.
QPR manager Mark Warburton told BBC London 94.9:
"That's a tough Championship game. Blackburn are a very good squad, with the subs they can bring off the bench, and they are where they are for a reason.
"We knew the threat they posed today but I thought we stood up to them with the block by Rob Dickie, the tackle by Lee Wallace - those type of moments in the game.
"It was a messy, scrappy horrible Championship game but a big one to win. To a man they worked hard, with a good work-rate and a real desire to win the game. The boys deserve a lot of praise for that."
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I think after the first 20 minutes, we were pretty dominant for the rest of the game.
"But you've got to score goals when you're on top and we didn't today. Sometimes we've scored fives and fours and three this year.
"It's hard to take when your goalie doesn't make a save and you lose 1-0, but there you go - that's football."