Queens Park Rangers 3-2 Preston North End - Chair hits winner in thriller
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Ilias Chair celebrates his winning goal for QPR against Preston
Ilias Chair inspired a late Queens Park Rangers comeback as they beat Preston North End in a Championship thriller.
Lyndon Dykes toe-poked the R's opener but Preston equalised against the run of play through Emil Riis Jakobsen.
The visitors then went ahead in the first minute of the second half, Josh Earl scoring his first professional goal.
But Chair turned it around, first sending in a free-kick touched in by Jimmy Dunne before scoring the winner after Charlie Austin was denied.
Preston had won on four of their previous five visits to QPR and were on course to advance that record when they led 2-1 with less than 20 minutes to play.
After Dykes had put Rangers in front, Preston hit back as Riis Jakobsen slotted home after a fine ball by Sean Maguire, who then set up Earl to open his account from close range on his 78th professional appearance.
Preston keeper Daniel Iversen made important stops, twice denying Chris Willock in the first half and keeping out Dominic Ball after the break.
But the introduction of the experienced Austin - who replaced Andre Gray, in a sign of the home side's strength in depth in attack - proved a catalyst.
Dunne equalised with his first goal for QPR - and his first since scoring for Burnley at Leicester in September 2020 - before Chair struck the winner to lift the R's into the top six.
Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton told BBC Radio London:
"Give Preston big respect - Frankie's got them well organised and they were hard to break down.
"For us to score three goals tells you we can create chances, we're a good team going forward. We have to recognise we can't give away two soft goals.
"Individual errors changed the whole momentum of the first half. We were totally in control. It's easy for heads to drop but the players deserve enormous credit. It's a massive three points."
Preston North End head coach Frankie McAvoy told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I'm a bit disappointed with the outcome, to be honest. I felt that we were comfortable at 2-1.
"I felt that it wasn't a free-kick leading up to their second goal, but we've got to defend it better, and [with] the third goal, it looks as though the ball's out of play as it is played down the channel. But again we've got to defend it better.
"QPR were definitely the dominant team in the first half but I thought we showed intent in the second half - they gave us everything to try and win the game, but unfortunately it's gone against us."
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