QPR 1-2 Southampton: Saints win in first game since Will Still sacking

Southampton started brightly as they adjusted to life under interim boss Tonda Eckert.

Adam Armstrong picked the ball up outside the box and tried his luck with an angled shot, which was deflected away for a corner.

The first chance for the hosts came in the 13th minute. A deep corner from Ilias Chair was nodded down by Jimmy Dunne, played on by Amadou Mbengue and into the path of Nicolas Madsen, only for his left-footed shot to be blocked on the line.

Liam Morrison went close for QPR just minutes later when he sent his diving header wide of the far post following another Chair corner.

Southampton were living a charmed life as they fumbled around trying to keep Rangers at bay. Chair was once again a pivotal figure when he sent a free-kick into the Saints box, with Burrell lashing wide from close range.

The Londoners asked more questions when Morrison’s long-range strike in the 24th minute flew just over the Southampton bar, with Gavin Bazunu at full stretch.

The irrepressible Chair was the key man during the opening half at Loftus Road. In the 34th minute he cut inside, ran towards goal and fired just wide.

Two minutes later the visitors went close only to be denied by a key intervention by Morrison following Jack Stephens’ free-kick into the box.

Rangers continued to dominate after the break. Chair was once again the architect as he sent in a low ball across the goalmouth, only for Jack Stephens to clear.

And, yet, it was Southampton who took the lead in the 55th minute, somewhat against the run of play.

A swift counter-attack down the right was finished off by Robinson, who skipped past a defender before lashing his angled shot past Paul Nardi into the top corner.

Scienza scored the visitors’ second when he drove forward from the halfway line unchallenged, before bending home a powerful curling shot past Nardi’s inside post.

But Rangers were not quite done.

Southampton’s Bazunu – recalled in place of Alex McCarthy – wandered off his line in the 73rd minute as he came towards a cross from the left by Jonathan Varane. As he did so, Burrell nipped in to grab a vital touch to steer the ball home into an empty goal.

The Londoners could have equalised seven minutes later when Burrell stretched to reach a low Karamoko Dembele cross, only to just miss out on making contact.

Southampton found themselves under further pressure late on, with Rangers substitute Dembele causing problems during the final throes. His curling cross from the right was glanced on by Sam Field, only for Bazunu to tip the ball over the bar.

Eckert’s side were able to hang on for their first win in six games.