Swansea City vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance18,608.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Swansea and QPR at the Swansea.com Stadium
Saturday 7 May 2022 17:09, UK
Andre Gray came off the bench to score his 10th goal of the season to provide Mark Warburton with a winning end to his three-year reign at QPR as the visitors won 1-0 at the Swansea.com Stadium.
QPR went into game having won only one of their last nine, with the home side suffering a 5-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest after a nine-match unbeaten run.
Swansea's unchanged side were the better of the two early in the first half, playing out from the back and building their way up the pitch but unable to get into the final third.
QPR began to pressure Andy Fisher as the half progressed, restricting Swansea's passing play with the home goalkeeper having to resort to long balls which were welcomed by the R's defence.
Swansea had 63 per cent of possession in the first half and threatened on a few occasions.
Hannes Wolf managed to put the ball past Seny Dieng after some great play saw Cyrus Christie's shot parried to the Austrian's feet.
Wolf slotted home but the linesman's flag was raised much to the relief of the QPR defence.
QPR did create a chance of their own when Ilias Chair came close when his shot was deflected just wide off the thigh of Joel Latibeaudiere but that was as exciting as it got for Warburton's side in the first half.
After returning from a two-month thigh injury, Dieng was called into action again 10 minutes before half-time after Cameron Congreve turned the QPR defence but the keeper did well to parry his shot out of danger.
Warburton opted to change things at the break with the introduction of Osman Kakay for Dion Sanderson but Swansea began the second half like they ended the first as Joel Piroe dribbled his way past Yoann Barbet, only for his shot to be blocked.
Swansea still struggled to trouble Dieng in the second half, with shot after shot being comfortable for the Senegalese keeper.
Piroe went through again after a great ball by Michael Obafemi split the QPR defence but he couldn't score his 23rd league goal as his effort was easy for Dieng.
Despite Swansea having registered 11 shots, it was the away side who broke the deadlock in the 80th minute after Chair took advantage of a quick free-kick just inside his side's half.
He played the ball into Luke Amos and returned the ball over the top for Chair, who found his way behind the Swansea defence, one-on-one with Fisher before playing a pass across the goal to Gray and he put the ball into an empty net.
The goal had given QPR a late surge as they continued to pressure Swansea for the remainder of the game, with much of the closing minutes being played in the home half.
It may have been a disappointing season for the R's but Warburton at least ended his spell with a win.
Swansea's Russell Martin: "It's a really disappointing end to the season. A few too many players are in self-preservation mode, a few players who are unsure of their future here maybe. So it's a bit frustrating.
"We score a goal that's onside, it gets given offside. That maybe changes the game and it sparks into life but I was surprised by the feeling around the place in the first half. I was disappointed in the performance and that transmitted to the supporters as well."
QPR's Mark Warburton: "Yesterday was difficult and challenging, we only had three or four subs, but credit to the players we played well against a team who play possession. We played in warm conditions so they had to work hard and they did exactly that. You have to work hard and maintain your discipline and we did exactly that.
"It's a pleasure and privilege to work with those players. I spoke to them individually throughout the week, it really is a privilege. I can leave here comfortable in the knowledge I've committed everything to the role."
