please log in to view this image please log in to view this image LAST TIME OUT FORM GUIDE QPR 3 PNE 13 MANAGER/JOY OF EX Gareth Ainsworth (born 10 May 1973) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers. A former youth player at Blackburn Rovers, the midfielder, who was known for his crossing ability, moved to Preston North End in 1992 after impressing at non-league Northwich Victoria. He signed for Cambridge United, who in turn loaned him back to Northwich, and returned to Preston in 1993, establishing himself in the first team during his second spell. Sold on to Lincoln City in 1995, his performances earned him a place on the PFA Third Division Team of the Year in 1996–97, resulting in a £500,000 move to Port Vale. After being named as the Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year in 1998, Ainsworth was sold to Premier League club Wimbledon for £2 million. He was dogged by injuries at the club, and following loan spells with Preston and Walsall, he moved to Cardiff City in March 2003. He signed with Queens Park Rangers in June 2003, where he spent seven years. During his time at QPR, he helped the club to promotion from the Second Division in 2003–04, and twice served as caretaker-manager. He joined Wycombe Wanderers in February 2010, following a short loan period. He was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year in 2010–11, as Wycombe won promotion. He was appointed manager in November 2012, after a short period as caretaker-manager. He retired from regular playing appearances to concentrate on management in April 2013, but remained registered as a player. He led the club to promotion from League Two at the end of the 2017–18 season and then from League One in 2020, securing a place in the Championship for the first time in the club's history. He left in February 2023 to become the manager of QPR please log in to view this image In The Dressing Room Manager Ryan Lowe will provide an update on the availability of his team in his pre-match press conference. A Look At Our Hosts please log in to view this image After a very promising start to the season under Michael Beale, it’s been a tricky period at Queens Park Rangers, with the Rs having won just twice in their last 23 Championship fixtures. Much of that run came under the management of Neil Critchley, but former North End man Gareth Ainsworth is currently in the hotseat, looking to guide his side away from the threat of relegation. They have been dealt several injury blows over the course of the campaign, but they’ll be hopeful they have enough to get back to picking up points in the end of season run-in to retain their Championship status. Going Head To Head Games played: 50 PNE wins: 19 Draws: 17 QPR wins: 14 Last PNE victory: PNE 2-1 QPR, 9th April 2022 One To Watch please log in to view this image The struggling Rs were boosted by the return from injury of Ilias Chair in last weekend’s defeat to Wigan Athletic, with the Moroccan international having been missing since the end of February. Often their most creative spark, Gareth Ainsworth will be looking for the attacking midfielder to inject some energy and quality into the side who have struggled for goals in recent weeks. Chair – who featured at the 2022 Qatar World Cup – has five goals and seven assists to his name so far this season, and that’s a tally he’ll be keen to add to between now and May. Match Officials please log in to view this image Experienced EFL official Geoff Eltringham will be the man in the middle on Friday. It will be the second occasion which he has refereed PNE so far this season, with the previous fixture being the Boxing Day defeat at home to Huddersfield Town. In total this season, Eltringham has shown 77 yellow cards and four reds in 22 matches. MACS VIEW When Neil Critchley won his first game in charge of the Hoops after taking over fom Beale things looked good for the West London side however since then it's gone massively tits up, Critchley gone, Ainsworth in, fans less than impressed with Gareth's version of the beautiful game led to a rxchange of views between players and supporters at Estadio del Pie last weekend. Currently plunging into a relegation struggle although may ahve been helped by Reading's ability to spend more than was expected may give them a lifeline. Out of form there for the taking we will find out Friday afternoon 5.30 am Friday alarm clock, well er no, end of season lethargy is kicking in it will be a cut and paste match report
Well, well, well two points away from the play off Queens Park Rangers 0 Preston North End 2 Cannon 2 QPR line-up: Dieng; Dickie, Balogun, Dunne; Laird (Adomah, 67), Field, Johansen (Amos, 74), Paal (Lowe, 67); Chair, Willock; Dykes (Martin, 80). Subs not used: Archer, Dozzell, Richards. PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Whiteman, Browne (Onomah, 45+2), Johnson (Ledson, 88), Brady (Fernández, 80); Cannon, Parrott (Woodburn, 80). Subs not used: Cornell, Diaby, Slater. Attendance: 14,620 (793 PNE fans). Referee: Mr G Eltringham. A Tom Cannon brace helped Preston North End beat Queens Park Rangers 2-0 at Loftus Road in what was a fantastic away performance. Both sides had chances to break the deadlock in the first half, with Alan Browne hitting the post for North End with a great curling effort. PNE then grew in confidence and opened the scoring on 59 minutes through Cannon, before the Everton loanee got a second just four minutes later to secure back-to-back wins. Ryan Lowe opted to make a single change from the derby day victory over Blackpool, with Robbie Brady coming into the side in place of Álvaro Fernández. Seny Dieng was the first of the goalkeepers to be called into action eight minutes in, clawing Andrew Hughes’ looping cross away from under his crossbar. The QPR defenders made sure the ‘keeper wasn’t required soon after as they threw themselves in front of Troy Parrott’s goalbound effort, following good work from Daniel Johnson. Then, on 24 minutes, there was a quite remarkable 30 seconds of football as both sides came close to opening the scoring. It was North End who had the first of the opportunities through skipper Browne, who cut inside and curled an effort agonisingly against the post. Immediately there was then a break on for the hosts and Ilias Chair was one-on-one with Freddie Woodman, but the Moroccan international could only chip his effort wide as Woodman closed down the angle. Later in the half, Brady whipped a great cross into the box and Jordan Storey rose highest at the far post to powerfully head goalwards, where Dieng was waiting to make an important save. After losing Browne to injury late in the first half, PNE enjoyed a fantastic team move in the opening stages of the second – with Parrott and Brady playing a nice one-two before defender Leon Balogun got his body in front of the ball as Parrott readied a close-range strike. Browne’s replacement Josh Onomah showed great feet to win a free-kick for North End on 57 minutes and Brady took it smartly, finding Johnson with a pass into the area and he saw a shot blocked at close range. Brady sent an even better ball into the area on 59 minutes and Cannon superbly flicked the ball on, giving Dieng no chance as it nestled into the far corner. Just four minutes later, the Everton loanee had his second as Parrott flicked it round the corner and Cannon found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, finishing calmly under the home No.1 to double North End’s lead. PNE remained well in control from that point – and Cannon could even have had a hat-trick in the 72nd minute – but the game finished 2-0 as North End closed the gap on the top six. please log in to view this image
Preston boss Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The players were fantastic. We knew we were coming into the lion's den because they need points. We needed to make sure we were solid, hard to beat and resolute and then we knew we'd get chances to score goals - and that's what we did. "Browney hit the post and Troy went through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. I said to Tom, 'don't get too panicky - stay in between the goals and we'll find you.' The first one was a great cross from Robbie and glancing header and, for the second, you know he's going to score when he's through like that. "Browney is on crutches as a precaution. He's got a whack and it's opened his knee a little bit. We'll have to get it scanned but hopefully it's not too bad - we'll get it iced on the way home."
I don't like being harsh toward QPR but thank you. Glad we were able to beat your arch rivals in return. I can see a late run for the play offs for your guys. From what I've seen, they are likely to keep a level head while those around you start to get the jitters. Good luck. It would be great to see PNE in the top flight again.
I hope QPR keep faith with AINSWORTH. He has done well with Wycombe for a number of years. He didn't have the resources that Championship and some Div1 clubs have. I am sure he will turn the club around. Before Lowe was appointed to NE, many supporters wanted NE to give Ainsworth a shot at managing the club. Hope you avoid the drop.
