Plymouth 0 QPR 1

By Editor
January 19 2003

Richard Pacquette hit a 52nd-minute winner to give Rangers victory in a match boss Ian Holloway had billed as a massive test of his side's promotion credentials.

Marc Bircham's defence-splitting ball fell to Pacquette inside the box and the striker smashed home his second goal in two matches.

Lee Cook was sent off in injury time for hitting out at Argyle's David Norris, but his team-mates held their nerve to secure a potentially vital three points.

Match-winner Pacquette also found the net in the first half. He tucked the ball away after Brett Angell headed down Bircham's right-wing cross, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Gino Padula, outstanding against Barnsley last weekend, limped off in the 22nd minute with a hamstring injury.

It was a big setback for Holloway's men but they survived a spell of Plymouth pressure before Angell came within inches of scoring his first goal for QPR in what may well be his last appearance for the club.

Steve Palmer robbed David Friio and after pouncing on the resulting loose ball, Angell struck the post with a speculative 35-yard shot that left goalkeeper Romain Larrieu stranded.

Angell started up front alongside Pacquette, with Kevin Gallen in an unfamiliar right-of-centre role.

Five minutes into the second half, Rangers again almost scored with a long-range effort, this time from Bircham whose right-footed sizzler flew just over.

And two minutes later, Bircham set up Pacquette and the rejuvenated forward made no mistake.

The goal shocked Plymouth into life. Steve Adams sent a shot wide of the target, and Nick Culkin produced a fine save to deny Ian Stonebridge as the home side surged forward in search of an equaliser.

The impressive Stonebridge went close again on 68 minutes, firing into the side-netting after squirming away from Dan Shittu.

Plymouth substitute Blair Sturrock found Danny Murphy less easy to shake off when the ball dropped to him on the edge of the six-yard box with 11 minutes remaining.

Murphy was quick to react to the danger and his last-ditch sliding tackle preserved Rangers' lead.

The Rs then had a lucky escape when another Argyle substitute, Marino Keith, rounded Culkin only to shoot wide.

Cook's red card added to the deluge of pressure Rangers were under at the end, but they held on to seal their fifth win in six matches.

Rangers: Culkin, Forbes, Carlisle, Shittu, Padula (Murphy 22), Bircham, Palmer, Cook, Pacquette (Oli 81), Gallen, Angell.

Subs not used: Burgess, Griffiths, Day.

Plymouth: Larrieu, Worrell, Hodges (McGlinchey 63), Phillips (Sturrock 73), Coughlan, Wotton, Friio, Norris, Evans (Keith 73), Stonebridge, Adams.

Subs not used: McCormick, Bent.

Attendance: 10,249