A year ago at Sc**thorpe: Sc**thorpe 0 QPR 1
QPR Official site - Sc**thorpe 0 QPR 1
Adel Taarabt's first-half strike was enough for the R's, who picked up their first league win of the season.
He gave Rangers the lead on as early as three minutes, after a neat move saw him slot home when through on goal.
Sc**thorpe did put a certain amount of pressure on the visitors at stages, though it was not enough to beat a sturdy Rangers backline.
R's Manager Jim Magilton made a total of seven changes from the side that progressed into the Carling Cup third round against Accrington Stanley, as Rangers went in search of their first league win of the campaign.
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Jay Simpson - after signing on loan from Arsenal this week - started in attack, whilst Taarabt - after an impressive performance from the bench in Tuesday night's 2-1 win - was also handed a place in the Rangers XI.
Elsewhere, Hogan Ephraim kept his place in the side following his goal against Stanley, whilst Wayne Routledge - who also got on the scoresheet - started the game from the right.
As the game kicked-off at a windswept Glanford Park in front of a vocal R's gathering, in full voice following Rangers' Carling Cup third round draw away to Chelsea, it was the visitors who started the brighter - and how.
Only a few minutes had passed on the clock when, after a good, early spell of possession, Rangers took a 3rd minute lead through Taarabt.
After neat interplay with Alejandro Faurlin, the Tottenham loanee beat one man to put himself through on goal. The Moroccan made no mistake thereafter, coolly slotting past Joe Murphy in the Iron goal to put the R's into the driving seat.
The match, in this early stage, was being played solely in the hosts' half - and Rangers were starting to look good value for their early lead with a period of good possession.
Soon after, following a through ball down the right to Mikele Leigertwood from Faurlin, the midfielder sent in a rasping drive at goal, but Murphy was more than equal to that effort to beat the ball away.
The pressure was mounting on the Sc**thorpe defence, as the R's - who were now in total control -could have added a second when after a good pass from Taarabt, Ephraim beat his full-back before shooting just wide.
Moments later, it was the hosts on the attack for a brief moment, and when Paul Hayes cut-in past Peter Ramage, he could only fire the ball straight at Radek Cerny.
But it wasn't long before Rangers were back in the Sc**thorpe half, and missed a great chance to put themselves two goals up.
After good play between Ramage and Routledge down the right-hand side, the winger sent in a teasing cross that landed to an unmarked Simpson, but he could only head wide from 10-yards out.
Even though Rangers seemed comfortable in defence, Sc**thorpe were beginning to have a bit more of a say in proceedings.
When Martyn Woolford cut-in from the left just before half-time, his shot from near the edge of the area was only put wide for a corner by a trailing R's leg.
Moments before the break, Rangers could have double their advantage twice. When Faurlin's thundering shot after a Routledge cross looked destined for the net, that effort went just wide - before Simpson turned his marker from six-yards out, and scraped his effort off target.
As the players re-entered the field of play for the second period, it was the R's who continued to have the better of the game.
Though neither side were to create much in the opening minutes, and fully aware of this, Magilton sent on a fresh face, as Rowan Vine replaced the brilliant scorer Taarabt.
And it was a change that seemed to give Rangers a boost. Not least when after a superb corner from the left by Ephraim, the clearance fell to Fitz Hall, whose powerful shot was expertly tipped away by Murphy for Sc**thorpe.
Not long after that chance, a Leigertwood effort went just over the bar after the ball was put in his direction near the area.
The game was now less of the intricate passing fixture that it had been for so much of the match, as the Iron went in search of a goal to level the game.
Sc**thorpe had a good chance to do so too, but when Garry Thompson got the ball down the right, his attempt was well caught by Cerny.
Although Sc**thorpe were now having more of the game, Rangers had a late chance to add a second when Vine could only blast over after a good lay-off from substitute Heidar Helguson.
The R's thought they had a good claim for a penalty when Routledge seemed to be brought down in the area, but the referee waved away the claim and booked him. Not so pleased with the decision was an understandably irate Magilton, and he was sent off after arguing his case on the touchline.
That didn't matter however, as Rangers saw out the rest of the game to get a vital first win of their league campaign.
Sc**thorpe United: Murphy, Williams, Togwell (McCann 61), Byrne, Sparrow (Thompson 70), Hayes, Hooper, Mirfin, Woolford, O'Connor (Wright 61), Spence.
Subs not used: Lillis, Forte, Morris, Crosby.
Bookings: Murphy (1)
QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Hall, Leigertwood, Routledge, Connolly, Faurlin (Mahon 81), Simpson (Helguson 70), Ephraim, Borrowdale, Taarabt (Vine 56).
Subs not used: Heaton, Stewart, Buzsaky, Pellicori.
Goals: Taarabt (3)
Bookings: Routledge (87)
Referee: Mr G Salisbury
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