Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
Bet365 StadiumAttendance22,486.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City and QPR at the bet365 Stadium as Albert Adomah's goal sealed victory for for Rangers and their status in the second tier.
Saturday 29 April 2023 18:43, UK
Albert Adomah scored the winner QPR secured their Sky Bet Championship status for another season thanks to a 1-0 victory at Stoke.
Adomah's second-half strike proved to be enough for the Rs, who recorded a second successive win for the first time since October.
By extending their unbeaten run to three games, Gareth Ainsworth's side moved six points above the relegation zone ahead of the season finale.
Meanwhile, the Potters' winless run stretched to six fixtures as they suffered a fourth consecutive home league defeat for the first time since 2019.
Following an impressive 2-1 victory away at champions Burnley in their last outing, QPR started brightly as they looked to confirm their survival.
Jamal Lowe, who scored the winner for parent club Bournemouth against Stoke last season, registered the game's first effort on goal.
The Jamaica international wriggled beyond the challenge of Phil Jagielka and had a clear sight at the target, but his tame effort was saved by Jack Bonham.
Alex Neil's inconsistent outfit - who possess the division's joint-second worst home record - offered little in an uneventful opening period.
Defender Connor Taylor came closest to breaking the deadlock when he struck the crossbar with a looping header, but he was adjudged to have fouled Jimmy Dunne.
Ainsworth, who had lost six of his first seven games at the Hoops helm, was left feeling aggrieved at the interval when he confronted referee Leigh Doughty.
The official was left unmoved by an incident in stoppage time where Ilias Chair was felled in the area thanks to a push by Dujon Sterling.
However, the Rs boss would not have been unhappy for too long as his side snatched the advantage shortly after the restart.
Lyndon Dykes unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box, with Bonham only able to parry directly into the path of Adomah.
The 35-year-old Football League journeyman - making only his 11th league start of the season - happily obliged to finish on the rebound for a first strike since August.
An unadventurous home side were forced to wait until the 74th minute until they could register their first shot of the game.
Stoke should have levelled, but a heroic Seny Dieng double save thwarted both Josh Laurent and Tyrese Campbell from point-blank range.
Josh Tymon thought he had landed the Potters a late equaliser as his strike looked destined to nestle in the far corner, but again Dieng was on hand with a crucial save.
Yet another defeat on home soil means Alex Neil's side end the campaign with only six victories from 23 games in front of their own support.
In contrast, the travelling 2,051 fans - although once harbouring hopes of promotion under former boss Michael Beale - rejoiced as they maintained their second-tier status.
Stoke's Alex Neil:
"We haven't been good enough across the season. We realise that and our home form has been shocking. It's actually embarrassing walking round at the end (for the lap of appreciation) but we've got a right to appreciate their efforts more than ours.
"We've got no right to have fans stay back and clap - that was a painful experience. It's been a really disappointing season, but we've got a massive summer ahead of us for next year."
QPR's Gareth Ainsworth:
"I'm absolutely elated. You don't want to celebrate too much because of the season we've had, but we've got to celebrate it. To everyone around us, we were down six weeks ago.
"People were writing us off and I've got to make sure the boys know how good they've been over the last month. I've been here eight weeks now; the first three weren't pretty and I was trying to bring a new energy and approach to games. The last two away performances the lads have been magnificent and they have won us the game today."
