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Payback! Day, Kelly, Shittu, Carlisle, Padula (Williams), Gallen, Bircham, Palmer, McLeod, Pacquette (Thomson), Furlong. Not used: Culkin, Angell, Forbes.
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Cardiff and Norwich both have to win all three games and QPR lose all three games for us not to go up (FA permitting)
- VIDEO Highlights: Cardiff vs QPR
QPR 43 38 84
Norwich 43 23 77
Cardiff 43 24 76
Reading 43 26 73
- VIDEO: Warnock Speaking: Proud
- Photos from Cardiff
QPR OFFICIAL SITE - NEIL WARNOCK - WARNOCK 'EVER-SO PROUD' OF TROOPS
Neil Warnock admitted that he's 'ever-so proud' of his R's charges, who twice came from behind thanks to an Adel Taarabt double in their 2-2 draw at Cardiff City.
Jay Bothroyd's stunning strike put the Bluebirds in front in the sixth minute, only for Taarabt to produce a similarly fantastic effort just four minutes later.
Craig Bellamy put Cardiff back into the lead on 35 minutes from close range after Matt Connolly's initial error - but Rangers weren't to be denied, with Taarabt again on hand in the 71st minute to send the R's ever-closer to the Premier League.
Moments after the final whistle, Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk: "I've just told my players that I was ever-so proud to manage them today.
"I couldn't be any prouder to manage a team like that.
"We twice came from behind in front of a hostile crowd.
"It was the way we did it. We were much better in the second half.
"We were first to the ball, played it around and defended well.
"I thought we were unlucky not to win it in the end."
Heidar Helguson went close with an effort just a minute from time, and Warnock added: "I thought Helguson had won it at the end, but a draw was probably a fair result.
"Cardiff were good as well - what a great match!
"It needed a strong referee and we got one. I thought Lee Mason and his linesmen played their part. He was fantastic today.
"We saw two good sides and the first two goals were unbelievable. You couldn't get two of them goals in the Champions League.
"That's what you get - you've got two honest Managers, two good Clubs and we're really thriving on it.
"I'm loving every minute."
Warnock also reserved special praise for R's skipper Taarabt, commenting: "Today he was our Captain - our leader.
"He's been fantastic for us.
"When he plays like that it's really lovely to watch but all the lads played their part today.
"It's a great point for us." QPR
SKY - Adel double denies Cardiff
Bluebirds miss out on second spot against leaders
Cardiff City missed the chance to regain second spot in the Championship after being held to a 2-2 draw by leaders QPR at the Cardiff City Stadium.
A win for The Bluebirds would have seen Dave Jones' side leapfrog Norwich, but Adel Taarabt's sublime brace ensured The Rs claimed a point from their trip to South Wales.
Jay Bothroyd's thunderous strike fired the home side in front, but it failed to last as Taarabt's delightful curling shot looped over Stephen Bywater's head to level matters.
Craig Bellamy capitalised on a mistake from Matthew Connolly to restore Cardiff's lead, however, Taarabt had the final say as he equalised again in the 71st minute after getting the better of Kevin McNaughton.
The point keeps Cardiff a point behind second-placed Norwich while a point on Monday could be enough for QPR on Easter Monday could be enough to secure their Premier League return.
Both sides were unchanged from their last outing and it was Bellamy who set up the first clear opening for Peter Whittingham after just three minutes, but the 10-goal midfielder failed to connect properly with his shot and Paddy Kenny saved well.
Opening goal
But it mattered little as Bothroyd soon broke the deadlock in stunning fashion.
The former Arsenal trainee picked up the ball on the right touchline and skipped inside a challenge before curling a delightful left-footed effort from 18 yards into the top corner off the crossbar.
But anything Bothroyd could do, Taarabt could match. The Moroccan saw a corner returned to him on the left but an acute angle mattered little as he planted a stunning curling shot beyond the reach of Bywater and into the far corner.
Despite the pace of the opening stages slowing slightly, half chances continued to flow at either end.
And the majority of the 26,058 inside the Cardiff City Stadium were brought to their feet again in the 35th minute.
Bothroyd was allowed time to send over an inswinging cross from the right which Connolly failed to deal with, even using his hand in the process, and the ball squirmed through to Bellamy to swivel and smash past Kenny into the top corner.
Diving save
Bywater preserved City's lead going into the break, producing a great diving save after Shaun Derry's shot took two deflections.
Whittingham wasted his second good chance of the afternoon shortly after the restart.
Unsurprisingly, the pace of the second half failed to match that of the first and that was reflected in the lack of clear-cut opportunities created.
But Taarabt made sure he did not waste the one which did come his way in the 71st minute, shrugging off the attentions of McNaughton to bring down Wayne Routledge's chipped forward pass and beat Bywater from just inside the area.
Bellamy was denied by Kenny but it was Helguson who passed up the best chance of victory, somehow shooting wide from close range late on.
http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3285050,00.html
QPR Official Site
Adel Taarabt was the star of the show, as his double saw QPR twice come from behind to claim a well-deserved point in a topsy-turvy encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium.
After twice finding themselves behind, the R's showed outstanding determination, effort and grit to put themselves within touching distance of the Premier League in front of the live BBC TV cameras.
Jay Bothroyd's outrageous solo effort from distance put the Bluebirds in front on six minutes, before Taarabt produced his own moment of magic just four minutes later to draw Rangers level.
A defensive error from Matt Connolly allowed Craig Bellamy to put Cardiff back in front from close range, before Taarabt was again on hand in the 71st minute to earn QPR a share of the spoils.
Wayne Routledge's perfectly weighted ball was controlled terrifically well by the Moroccan international on the edge of the Bluebirds penalty area, before he turned his marker to curl an effort into the bottom left-hand corner.
The draw means that the R's go into Monday's clash with Hull City knowing that a win would clinch promotion to the Premier League - as well as the npower Championship trophy.
The R's remained unchanged for their Saturday lunchtime showdown with the Bluebirds in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Paddy Kenny was once again in goal for QPR.
Bradley Orr, Connolly, Kaspars Gorkss and Clint Hill started in defence.
Experienced midfield man Shaun Derry joined the cultured Alejandro Faurlin just in front of the back four, behind the more forward-thinking trio of Routledge, R's top scorer Taarabt and Tommy Smith.
Heidar Helguson led the Rangers line in attack.
Cardiff's PA did his best to gee up the home supporters prior to kick-off, but R's fans reacted in typical style, out-singing their hosts with the chant 'We're Queens Park Rangers, we're top of the league'.
And it was 90 minutes worth of football that no QPR fan will ever forget.
In the energy-sapping sunshine, Rangers had the first opportunity to note when Taarabt fired high and wide of the target in the opening stanza.
However, it was the hosts who were first to test their opposing keeper - a chance that Peter Whittingham should have taken.
Bellamy picked up possession midway into the QPR half and, when he sent the former Aston Villa midfielder through on goal, Whittingham could only fire a shot straight at Kenny, who raced out of his net to pull off a smart block.
But the Bluebirds weren't to be denied at the second time of asking, with Bothroyd on hand with a beautifully-struck effort to edge Cardiff in front on six minutes.
Bellamy's clever reverse pass found Bothroyd out wide on the right and what followed was quite breathtaking, as the former Arsenal front-man cut back from the touchline before firing an unstoppable drive into the top left-hand corner of the net from 25-yards out.
Not exactly the start that the R's would have envisaged but, true to form, Warnock's troops battled back just four minutes later with the type of 'Dunkirk spirit' that the QPR gaffer has so often used to describe his team this season.
It was a strike that - in similar style to Bothroyd's opener - would also be fit to grace the top flight.
Taarabt's initial corner was cleared only as far as Faurlin on the edge of the box, before the Argentine did superbly well to head the ball back out wide on the left to the R's number seven.
The rest, unsurprisingly, was simply stunning from QPR's Moroccan ace, who sized up the target before curling home a magnificent effort into the top right-hand corner.
A period of lull may have followed but, if anything, it was Rangers who looked most likely to add a second, with Gorkss, Faurlin and Smith all going close with efforts soon after.
But the Bluebirds were to regain the lead in the 35th minute courtesy of the influential Bellamy.
Bothroyd turned from scorer to provider and, when his cross wasn't properly dealt with by Connolly, Bellamy was on hand to smash the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
The R's went within a whisker of equalising for a second time just moments before the break.
Derry's deflected effort left Stephen Bywater scrambling across his line to parry the ball wide and, when Taarabt looked to race in and tap home, the R's playmaker ran out of time as the ball trickled agonisingly out of play for a corner.
Cardiff started the second period in positive fashion.
Faurlin's misplaced pass was intercepted by Bellamy and, when he found Whittingham 25 yards from goal, the winger's subsequent shot cleared the crossbar.
Moments later, City again asked questions of Rangers.
Paul Quinn's centre from the right found Seyi Olofinjana on the edge of the box, whose shot - that appeared to be heading for the bottom right-hand corner - was blocked away from goal by Orr.
The Bluebirds' bright start was enough to force Warnock into a change on 70 minutes, with Patrick Agyemang introduced to replace Smith.
Rangers were back on level terms just a minute later.
Taarabt was again the man of the moment, as he produced another exceptional piece of individual skill to claw QPR back level.
Routledge's ball with the outside of his right foot found Taarabt on the edge of the box, who controlled the ball fantastically well before turning his marker to curl a lovely effort low into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
The drama wasn't finished there. In fact, the R's went within inches of clinching all three points in the 89th minute.
Taarabt controlled a ball from deep midway into the Cardiff half and, when he drove a goal and saw his deflected shot trickle into the path of Helguson at the back post, the Rangers front-man could only fire an effort into the side-netting - albeit at an acute angle.
Cardiff City: Bywater, McNaughton, Whittingham, Bothroyd, McPhail, Burke (Emmanuel-Thomas 77), Keinan, Quinn, Olofinjana, Samuel, Bellamy (Chopra 88).
Subs: Heaton, Rae, Hudson, Blake, Matthews.
Goals: Bothroyd (6), Bellamy (35)
Bookings: Whittingham (33), Quinn (67)
QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Taarabt, Helguson, Faurlin, Gorkss, Routledge, Connolly (Hall 81), Smith (Agyemang 70).
Subs: Cerny, Buzsaky, Hulse, Ephraim, Miller.
Goals: Taarabt (10 & 71)
Referee: Mr L Mason
Attendance: 26,058
http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10373~52422,00.html
Cardiff Official Site
Two Adel Taarabt strikes secured Queens Park Rangers a point at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Bluebirds had taken a sixth minute lead in some time style, when Jay Bothroyd cut in from the right to strike a blistering left-footed shot past a flailing Paddy Kenny.
But just four minutes later and Rangers were level. Almost matching the finesse of the Bothroyd strike, Taarabt placed an unstoppable right-footed effort over Stephen Bywater and in to the keeper's bottom left hand corner.
Cardiff finished the second half the stronger team though and ten minutes before the break, were back ahead. Superb play by Bothroyd on the right ended with the ball being played flat towards Bellamy; the captain took one touch, before firing the ball past Kenny to make it 2-1.
For the early part of the second half it was Cardiff who looked like getting the third. Bellamy, Seyi Olofinjana and Dekel Keinan all had good efforts but ultimately, none were taken.
Then with nineteen minutes remaining a Taarabt sucker-punch stunned City. The Morrocan managed to turn Kevin McNaughton at the back before placing the ball calmy past Bywater and celebrating with his jubilant dug out.
Bellamy came close in the final ten minutes, but in fact, after the equaliser, it was Rangers who looked the stronger. It was their most dominant spell of possession in fairness, but they weren't able to penetrate a stubborn Bluebirds defence.
http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10335~52422,00.html
Uxbridge Gazette/Yann Tear
Cardiff City delay QPR promotion party
THE HARDEST yards may be the last ones – but Rangers are down to millimetres now.
Two more flashes of genius from Adel Taarabt (pictured) – taking his season's tally to 18 goals – has almost shut out any possibility of a disastrous turn of events.
Given that they twice trailed here, a draw was no bad outcome, even if it denied the travelling Rangers fans the promotion party they crave for a little longer.
Rangers are in a position where they probably do not need any more points to go up, but confirmation of their elevation – barring the off-field concerns, of course – should come on Monday when Hull City visit Loftus Road.
Rangers looked comfortable for much of the time at an electric Cardiff City Stadium – boasting a record crowd of 26,000 - but found themselves behind at the interval thanks to classy strike from Jay Bothroyd after six minutes and some sloppy defending on 35 minutes, just as they were starting to take charge.
They could have no real cause to reproach themselves for that opening goal – it was a stunning hit from the edge of the box that flew just under the angle of post and crossbar, giving Paddy Kenny no chance.
But the second goal has highly preventable – Craig Bellamy pouncing after Matt Connolly made a hash of trying to clear a Bothroyd cross from the right.
Rangers showed they have the stomach for the big occasion when they restored parity only four minutes after Bothroyd's wonder strike – doing it with a stunning goal of their own.
Taarabt, inevitably, was the man of the moment. Alejandro Faurlin's header found him in space on the left edge of the box and the Moroccan cut inside before chipping perfectly into the far corner over stranded City keeper Stephen Bywater.
Taarabt might have got on the scoresheet again when he almost reached a deflected Shaun Derry shot before it went out of play, but the tide turned after Cardiff's second goal and it became a question of all hands to the pump for Rangers for a while.
Yet with the mercurial striker in your ranks, you always have a chance, and although Rangers were on the back foot for much more in the second half, they drew level on 71 minutes with a goal out of nothing.
Wayne Routledge played a ball into the danger area and Taarabt turned a defender before sending a first time shot low to Bywater's left. Cue ecstacy at the away end. Or partial ecstacy at any rate.
http://www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/west-london-sport/qpr/2011/04/23/qpr-v-cardiff-city-64767-28572182/
TALKSPORT
Cardiff City 2-2 QPR: Rangers denied Premier League place
* By Michael Wade
Queens Park Rangers missed out on the chance of securing promotion to the Premier League as they could only muster a 2-2 draw against Cardiff City.
If they had won against the Bluebirds, Neil Warnock’s side would have confirmed their inevitable elevation to the top-flight after leading the Championship table all season.
They fell behind early on to a stunning Jay Bothroyd strike before Rangers star man Adel Taarabt pulled them level with a similarly sensational effort.
On-loan Manchester City man Craig Bellamy edged automatic promotion chasing Cardiff back in front after 35 minutes and they looked a decent bet to cause an upset until Taarabt scored his second of the game in the 71st minute to rescue a point.
Rangers will now turn their attention to the home game against Hull on Easter Monday as they seek to settle their future as quickly as possible.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/football-league/6804/1/cardiff-city-2-2-qpr-rangers-denied-premier-league-place
PRESS ASSOCIATION
PRESS ASSOCIATION
Cardiff v QPR
(UKPA) – 11 minutes ago
QPR's promotion party remains on hold despite twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Cardiff in a captivating clash in the npower Championship.
Neil Warnock's side went into the encounter knowing victory would seal their return to the Barclays Premier League after a 15-year absence, although they can now do so with victory over Hull at Loftus Road on Easter Monday.
At the heart of Saturday's clash was enigmatic QPR skipper Adel Taarabt, who showed why he is the Championship's player of the year with two great finishes, the second of which came in the 71st minute to cancel equally impressive first-half efforts from City's star duo Jay Bothroyd and Craig Bellamy.
R's striker Heidar Helguson had promotion within his grasp in the 89th minute, but he could only find the side-netting with the goal at his mercy.
Bothroyd soon broke the deadlock in stunning fashion. The former Arsenal trainee picked up the ball on the right touchline and skipped inside a challenge before curling a delightful left-footed effort from 18 yards into the top corner off the crossbar.
But anything Bothroyd could do, Taarabt could match. The Moroccan saw a corner returned to him on the left but an acute angle mattered little as he planted a stunning curling shot beyond the reach of Stephen Bywater and into the far corner.
Despite the pace of the opening stages slowing slightly, half chances continued to flow at either end. And the majority of the 26,058 inside the Cardiff City Stadium were brought to their feet again in the 35th minute.
Bothroyd was allowed time to send over an inswinging cross from the right which Matthew Connolly failed to deal with, even using his hand in the process, and the ball squirmed through to Bellamy to swivel and smash past Paddy Kenny into the top corner.
Bywater preserved City's lead going into the break, producing a great diving save after Shaun Derry's shot took two deflections.
But Taarabt made sure he did not waste the chance which did come his way in the 71st minute, shrugging off the attentions of Kevin McNaughton to bring down Wayne Routledge's chipped forward pass and beat Bywater from just inside the area.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jetT-D67njfMSAYf1-ECDH4XpiZQ?docId=N0083251303565058128A
TELEGRAPH
Telegraph
Cardiff City 2 Queens Park Rangers 2: match report
Queens Park Rangers' promotion party remains on hold despite twice coming from behind to draw with Cardiff City in a captivating clash in the npower Championship.
Neil Warnock's side went into the encounter knowing victory would seal their return to the Premier League after a 15-year absence, although they can now do so with victory over Hull at Loftus Road on Easter Monday.
For Cardiff, a draw was not really good enough for their automatic promotion ambitions and they now sit one point behind second-placed Norwich with just three matches remaining.
A blistering start, with two goals inside the opening 10 minutes, set the pattern for a pulsating afternoon.
At the heart of it was enigmatic QPR skipper Adel Taarabt, who showed why he is the Championship's player of the year with two great finishes, the second of which came in the 71st minute to cancel equally impressive first-half efforts from City's star duo Jay Bothroyd and Craig Bellamy.
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R's striker Heidar Helguson had promotion within his grasp in the 89th minute, but he could only find the side-netting with the goal at his mercy.
Both sides were unchanged from their last outing and it was Bellamy who set up the first clear opening for Peter Whittingham after just three minutes, but the 10-goal midfielder failed to connect properly with his shot and Paddy Kenny saved well.
But it mattered little as Bothroyd soon broke the deadlock in stunning fashion.
The former Arsenal trainee picked up the ball on the right touchline and skipped inside a challenge before curling a delightful left-footed effort from 18 yards into the top corner off the crossbar.
But anything Bothroyd could do, Taarabt could match.
The Moroccan saw a corner returned to him on the left but an acute angle mattered little as he planted a stunning curling shot beyond the reach of Stephen Bywater and into the far corner.
Despite the pace of the opening stages slowing slightly, half chances continued to flow at either end.
And the majority of the 26,058 inside the Cardiff City Stadium were brought to their feet again in the 35th minute.
Bothroyd was allowed time to send over an inswinging cross from the right which Matthew Connolly failed to deal with, even using his hand in the process, and the ball squirmed through to Bellamy to swivel and smash past Kenny into the top corner.
Bywater preserved City's lead going into the break, producing a great diving save after Shaun Derry's shot took two deflections.
Whittingham wasted his second good chance of the afternoon shortly after the restart.
Unsurprisingly, the pace of the second half failed to match that of the first and that was reflected in the lack of clear-cut opportunities created.
But Taarabt made sure he did not waste the one which did come his way in the 71st minute, shrugging off the attentions of Kevin McNaughton to bring down Wayne Routledge's chipped forward pass and beat Bywater from just inside the area.
Bellamy was denied by Kenny but it was Helguson who passed up the best chance of victory, somehow shooting wide from close range late on.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/championship/8468411/Cardiff-City-2-Queens-Park-Rangers-2-match-report.html
BBC - Cardiff boss Dave Jones glad to delay QPR promotion
Cardiff took QPR 'to the cleaners' - Jones
Cardiff manager Dave Jones said they were determined not to let Queen's Park Rangers clinch promotion in Saturday's 2-2 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Neil Warnock's Championship side needed victory to book their return to the Premier League after a 15-year absence.
But QPR must now wait until at least Monday's home game with Hull to confirm automatic promotion.
"They weren't going to come here and celebrate, that was the one thing they weren't going to do," Jones said.
"You've had the champagne, you've had your BBC cameras in there and all that rubbish that goes with it [promotion].
"This is our place and they weren't going to do that, so if they want to do it [they must] go back to their own place."
Cardiff led twice through Jay Bothroyd's sublime left-foot shot into the far top corner and then Craig Bellamy's close-range rocket.
But each time QPR replied through Adel Taarabt to draw level with two excellent strikes, although Jones was less than impressed with the Moroccan midfielder's all-round contribution.
"He did nothing but score two goals, absolutely nothing," Jones added.
"He's a good player and the sign of a good player is when you don't do anything and pop up with two goals... if anything, out of the 22 players out there I thought he was the poorest on show."
The point apiece does at least guarantee Cardiff's participation in the end of season play-offs, if they cannot overtake Norwich - a point ahead of the Bluebirds in the second automatic promotion spot.
Click to play
Warnock proud after draw in Cardiff
"It's a point gained... but I thought we took the game to them, scored good goals, could have had more, should have had a penalty," Jones said.
"It was a terrific advert for Championship football but it was never going to be easy.
"I don't think the 26,000 fans that were here today could complain about an advert for football and our home fans certainly gave it everything they had, and so did we."
Cardiff travel to face relegation-battling Preston North End on Monday, while QPR have that encounter against the Tigers with Warnock hoping their defending improves from Saturday's showing.
"We defended like fairies in the first half but the first two goals could have come straight out of the Premier League," Warnock said.
"We played on the front foot in the second half and Adel Taarabt scored a deserved equaliser.
"We had no stars and to come back twice against Cardiff at a full house was outstanding.
"It has been a long season and the Championship is the hardest to get out of but I would rather come to Cardiff than go to Sc**thorpe because of the atmosphere and our fans today were terrific.
"It was a super match and no one deserved to win, I have a lot of pride in all my players because we enjoyed today's battle."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13176465.stm
