IT WAS A memorable day for Jimmy Dunne as the QPR captain bagged a brace in the 5-0 thumping of Swansea at Loftus Road.
Richard Kone had already scored a hat-trick inside 15 minutes before Dunne netted his first to go four up by half-time.
The Swans – who were top of the Championship until they were overtaken by Middlesbrough on Friday night – suffered their second defeat in a row.
Advertisement
They did have their moments in the first half – Adam Idah fired against the bar shortly after they went behind.
But QPR were very much on top and they made it 4-0 when Dunne rose to head home Harvey Vale’s corner in first-half stoppage time.
In the 86th minute, Dunne stuck out a leg to divert Kone’s off-target shot into the net for the Irish international’s second goal and Rangers’ fifth.
Swansea remain second in the table, while QPR’s resounding victory moved them back into the play-off positions in eighth.
Elsewhere, Southampton announced themselves in the Championship promotion race with a statement 3-2 win at pre-season title-favourites West Ham.
Kuryu Matsuki, James Bree and Lewis Dobbin were all on target in a chaotic first half, while Kyle Walker-Peters and Tomas Soucek replied for the third-placed Hammers.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, relegated on the final day of last term, would have gone top with a win but instead saw their nine-match unbeaten run grind to a halt.
There were thousands of empty seats by the end at the London Stadium, with those who stayed booing the Hammers off.
For anyone who thought promotion would be achieved at a canter in east London, this was a wake-up call.
The Hammers now have a Southampton side, who were deducted four points at the start of the season, in their rear-view mirror, lying just two points behind.
Meanwhile, Adam Armstrong ended his goal drought with a milestone strike to give dominant Wolves a 1-0 win against Watford, taking them into fourth.
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Championship: Jimmy Dunne nets twice to move QPR into play-off spots
IT WAS A memorable day for Jimmy Dunne as the QPR captain bagged a brace in the 5-0 thumping of Swansea at Loftus Road.
Richard Kone had already scored a hat-trick inside 15 minutes before Dunne netted his first to go four up by half-time.
The Swans – who were top of the Championship until they were overtaken by Middlesbrough on Friday night – suffered their second defeat in a row.
They did have their moments in the first half – Adam Idah fired against the bar shortly after they went behind.
But QPR were very much on top and they made it 4-0 when Dunne rose to head home Harvey Vale’s corner in first-half stoppage time.
In the 86th minute, Dunne stuck out a leg to divert Kone’s off-target shot into the net for the Irish international’s second goal and Rangers’ fifth.
Swansea remain second in the table, while QPR’s resounding victory moved them back into the play-off positions in eighth.
Elsewhere, Southampton announced themselves in the Championship promotion race with a statement 3-2 win at pre-season title-favourites West Ham.
Kuryu Matsuki, James Bree and Lewis Dobbin were all on target in a chaotic first half, while Kyle Walker-Peters and Tomas Soucek replied for the third-placed Hammers.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, relegated on the final day of last term, would have gone top with a win but instead saw their nine-match unbeaten run grind to a halt.
There were thousands of empty seats by the end at the London Stadium, with those who stayed booing the Hammers off.
For anyone who thought promotion would be achieved at a canter in east London, this was a wake-up call.
The Hammers now have a Southampton side, who were deducted four points at the start of the season, in their rear-view mirror, lying just two points behind.
Meanwhile, Adam Armstrong ended his goal drought with a milestone strike to give dominant Wolves a 1-0 win against Watford, taking them into fourth.
Championship results
Championship October Round-Up Soccer