Chair screamer earns three points for Rangers in 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers

By Alessandro Schiavone at Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium

QPR 1 v Blackburn Rovers 0

If centre stage was ever going to be taken there was only one man to take it and Ilias Chair’s already high stock keeps rising and rising to the delight of the club’s director of football Les Ferdinand who must already be licking his lips at the thought of Premier League clubs knocking on his door with whopping offers come January.

But if QPR, who have moved back into the top-six with the three points, want to mount a promotion charge, the soon-to-be 24 year-old attacking midfielder must see out the season in W12.

QPR had lost six of their last eight outings against Blackburn whose alarming slump continues, having now suffered three defeats from their past four games.

For the acclaimed Ben Brereton it was anything but a good Diaz at the office as he struggled to gain a foothold in the game. He was on the fringes of the game, although to his defence, the service to feed off was scarce as Blackburn failed to fashion any decent goal opportunities.

The 11, 771 fans in attendance must have thought that they would see a goal spectacle, as QPR boasted the division’s second-best attack with 23 goals, and just behind neighbours Fulham, while the 1995 Premier League champions had only managed two fewer. But they were treated to only one goal. But that screamer from Chair certainly made up for it.

Excitement was in short supply in the first half as neither side managed to muster a single shot on target and played with the handbrake on.

Other than Blackburn's Daniel Butterwoth dragging a tame effort wide and Sam McCallum flashing a volley across the face of goal the opening 45 minutes were as cagey as they come.

The game burst into life in the 49th minute when Yoann Barbet inadvertently deflected Tayo Edun’s low cross into his own net. If the woodwork has an Instagram page the Frenchman will surely start following it tonight.

QPR were living on the edge but thanks to the quality in their frontline they took the sting out of Blackburn’s sudden upturn in confidence.

Lyndon Dykes had a crack from distance after 68 minutes but Thomas Kaminski superbly diverted his shot away before Jimmy Dunne failed to steer Chair’s freekick on target.

But roared on by their fantastic home support, QPR found the breakthrough in the 83rd minute with Blackburn feeling the full force of Chair’s devastating right foot.

Despite seeing the ball come from a long way the static goalkeeper did not move and the roof came off at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

What a way to bounce back from an appalling performance at neighbours Fulham. The dream is alive. And to dream is to Chair.

Queens Park Rangers

1 Seny Dieng- 4 Rob Dickie- 6 Yoann Barbet- Lyndon Dykes- 10 Ilias Chair- 12 Dominic Ball- 16 Sam McCallum- 17 Andre Dozzell- 20 Jimmy Dunne- 21 Chris Willock- 37 Albert Adomah

Blackburn Rovers

1 Thomas Kaminski- 2 Ryan Nyambe- 3 Harry Pickering- 5 Daniel Ayala- 14 Daniel Butterworth- 19 Leighton Clarkson- 20 Tayo Edun- 22 Ben Brereton Diaz- 25 Jean Paul Van Hecke- 26 Darragh Lenihan- 27 Lewis Travers