30 Wins In An Impressive Campaign

Last updated : 03 May 2010 By Footy Mad - Editor

NU

QPR: Cerny, Leigertwood, Ramage, Gorkss, Tosic, Ephraim (Rose 77), Faurlin, Buzsaky, Cook (Parker 49), Simpson,Priskin. Subs Not Used: Putnins, Balanta, Brown, Oastler, German.

NEWCASTLE: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Routledge, Barton, Smith, Guthrie (Vuckic 79), Best (Lovenkrands 54), Ameobi (Carroll 79). Subs Not Used: Harper, Nolan, Pancrate, Donaldson.

Att: 16,819

Peter Lovenkrands' neat 71st-minute strike ensured the Toon signed off the spell in the second flight in style.

The carnival atmosphere was probably something Loftus Road hasn't seen in years, as the Toon Army took over the place.

But it was sadness for one Newcastle fan ... as Darren Deadman showed Rangers' former Newcastle defender Peter Ramage a straight red card seconds after the break.

Ramage, a life-long Newcastle supporter, said he would suffer serious ribbing from his family if he scored against his old club.

That didn't happen, as he saw red and left the pitch to let other Rangers players risk flak from the Ramage family.

The first half was an uninspiring affair, with both sets of players in end-of-season mode on a slippy pitch which had to pass a morning inspection.

Newcastle's ex-Hoops winger Wayne Routledge tried to lift the tedium with a sharp turn and shot but his effort flew straight at home goalkeeper Radek Cerny.

At the other end, Akos Buzsaky blazed a decent chance high over the crossbar, before stand-in goalkeeper Tim Krul made a meal of holding onto Alejandro Faurlin's drive.

There was little else to get excited about until seconds before the interval when Jay Simpson raced onto Faurlin's fine long pass, but his touch let him down and Krul was able to gather.

The second half was just 15 seconds old when Shola Ameobi charged past Ramage and was hauled down.

Deadman decided the defender was the last man and Ramage cut a disconsolate figure as he trudged off.

The dismissal seemed to spark Rangers into life and they had the ball in the net in the 55th minute, but Tamas Priskin was marginally offside when he collected Simpson's pass and chipped Krul.

But it was the visitors who eventually made the breakthrough with a goal of Premier League quality.

Joey Barton's pass split the Rangers defence and Lovenkrands, who had been on the pitch for 17 minutes, beat the offside trap before lofting his finish over Cerny and into an empty net.

Simpson could have spoiled the party and hauled Rangers level when he scampered clear again, but Krul stayed big to block his shot and the Magpies held on to chalk up their 30th win of a successful campaign.