QPR receive Championship trophy

QPR celebrated confirmation of their status as Championship winners despite a final day defeat by Leeds.

The promotion party began before kick-off when QPR were told they had escaped a points deduction for charges relating to the signing of Alejandro Faurlin.

Heidar Helguson gave the hosts the lead inside a minute with a tap-in before Max Gradel poked in the equaliser when he beat Radek Cerny to the ball.

Ross McCormack's deflected shot after the break handed Leeds victory.

The result will be of scant consolation for the visitors, who missed out a play-off place after Nottingham Forest beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

QPR achievement 'incredible' - Warnock

The west Londoners began well, scoring inside 26 seconds when Helguson found the back of the net from about a yard after Schmeichel failed to hold on to Tommy Smith's shot.

Faurlin then tested Kasper Schmeichel with a curling effort from 20 yards that the visiting goalkeeper pushed away to his left.

Leeds were always a threat on the break with Gradel's pace and the Ivory Coast-born player was fractions from scoring when his intended cross from the right had to be pushed over the bar by Cerny.

Their striker Billy Paynter then found himself one-on-one with Matt Connolly before falling over on the edge of the area after the QPR defender stuck out his leg. Referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on, much to the annoyance of the visiting team.

Leeds finally made the breakthrough seven minutes before the break when Richard Naylor's long ball into the area was met first by Gradel, who nudged it past Cerny.

McCormack should have added a second for the visitors after the break but smashed his effort from the edge of the six-yard area high and wide of Cerny's bar.

The Scotland international's persistence paid dividends after the interval when his surge into the area was rounded off with shot that took a deflection off QPR's Kaspars Gorkss.

It temporarily silenced the home crowd inside a packed Loftus Road. Their side did their best to finish the season with at least a point.

Smith forced Schmeichel to tip over his header before the former Watford man brought out another great block from the Leeds stopper. Gorkss then headed a foot wide from the resulting corner.

QPR may have ended the season with a defeat - their sixth in the league - but with smiles on their faces as they look forward to the prospect of playing in the Premier League for the first time since 1996.

Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (6)

Queens Park Rangers

  • 24 Cerny
  • 02 Orr
  • 03 Hill (Ramage - 65' )
  • 13 Gorkss
  • 16 Connolly
  • 04 Derry
  • 10 Buzsaky (Taarabt - 55' Booked )
  • 11 Faurlin
  • 15 Routledge
  • 09 Helguson (Shittu - 72' )
  • 21 Smith

Substitutes

  • 32 Putnins
  • 22 Ramage
  • 41 Shittu
  • 07 Taarabt
  • 23 Moen
  • 25 Ephraim
  • 19 Agyemang

Leeds United

  • 01 Schmeichel
  • 02 Connolly
  • 06 Naylor (Kisnorbo - 79' )
  • 20 Lichaj
  • 40 O'Brien
  • 07 Gradel (Watt - 85' )
  • 08 Kilkenny
  • 14 Howson
  • 16 Johnson
  • 09 Paynter (Somma - 65' )
  • 44 McCormack

Substitutes

  • 12 Higgs
  • 03 Kisnorbo
  • 04 Bruce
  • 26 Bromby
  • 17 Livermore
  • 18 Watt
  • 27 Somma
Ref: Clattenburg
Att: 18,234

Match Stats

Shots

15 20

On target

9 10

Corners

5 4

Fouls

10 3

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +2:00

Adel Taarabt decides to take a short corner.

90:00 +1:48 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

88:55

Sanchez Watt produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.

87:27

Adel Taarabt takes the inswinging corner, Close range header by Kaspars Gorkss misses to the right of the target.

87:13

Tommy Smith takes a shot. Kasper Schmeichel makes a comfortable save.

84:26

Indirect free kick taken by Radek Cerny.

84:26 Substitution

Substitution (Leeds) makes a substitution, with Sanchez Watt coming on for Max Gradel.

84:26

The referee blows for offside against Davide Somma.

83:52

Ross McCormack takes the chance to get an effort at goal and hits the post.

79:25

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Bradley Orr by Ross McCormack. Direct free kick taken by Radek Cerny.

78:54 Substitution

Substitution Richard Naylor leaves the field to be replaced by Patrick Kisnorbo.

78:41

Neil Kilkenny produces a drilled right-footed shot from 20 yards. Ross McCormack gets a block in.

75:50

Danny Shittu has an effort at goal. Kasper Schmeichel makes a comfortable save.

74:40

Bradley Johnson has an effort at goal from 20 yards. Blocked by Bradley Orr. Short corner worked by Ross McCormack.

72:08 Booking

Booking Adel Taarabt is shown a yellow card.

71:26 Substitution

Substitution Danny Shittu comes on in place of Heidar Helguson.

71:09

Davide Somma produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target.

70:53

Neil Kilkenny fouled by Matthew Connolly, the ref awards a free kick. Neil Kilkenny restarts play with the free kick.

69:17

Davide Somma produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.

68:29

Eric Lichaj takes a shot. Radek Cerny makes a save.

67:08 Goal scored

Goal - Ross McCormack - QPR 1 - 2 Leeds Ross McCormack finds the back of the net with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the top left corner of the goal. QPR 1-2 Leeds.

66:50

Ross McCormack takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Kaspars Gorkss gets a block in.

63:51

Direct free kick taken by Kasper Schmeichel.

63:51 Substitution

Substitution Peter Ramage is brought on as a substitute for Clint Hill.

63:51 Substitution

Substitution Billy Paynter leaves the field to be replaced by Davide Somma.

63:51

Foul by Heidar Helguson on Richard Naylor, free kick awarded.

60:32

Max Gradel has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide left of the goal.

58:49

Adel Taarabt takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Header from deep inside the area by Bradley Orr goes over the bar.

58:27

Tommy Smith takes a shot. Save by Kasper Schmeichel.

57:49

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Adel Taarabt, save made by Kasper Schmeichel.

57:38

Tommy Smith has an effort at goal. Blocked by Paul Connolly.

56:38

Effort from just outside the area by Billy Paynter goes over the bar.

56:23

Neil Kilkenny fouled by Heidar Helguson, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Neil Kilkenny.

54:36 Substitution

Substitution Akos Buzsaky goes off and Adel Taarabt comes on.

53:16

The referee blows for offside. Matthew Connolly takes the free kick.

52:39

Shot from 25 yards by Akos Buzsaky. Save made by Kasper Schmeichel.

52:04

Heidar Helguson challenges Bradley Johnson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Neil Kilkenny takes the free kick.

45:01

The match restarts for the second half.

45:00 +1:33 Half time

Half Time The referee blows for half time.

45:00 +1:28

Effort on goal by Jonathan Howson from 18 yards. Kaspars Gorkss gets a block in. Andrew O'Brien has an effort at goal. Blocked by Shaun Derry.

45:00 +0:50

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kaspars Gorkss on Max Gradel. Free kick crossed by Neil Kilkenny, clearance by Clint Hill.

44:59

Ross McCormack has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

44:59

Ross McCormack produces a header from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

44:03

Clint Hill gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Max Gradel. Bradley Johnson has an effort direct from the free kick, Shaun Derry gets a block in.

43:30

Heidar Helguson produces a left-footed effort from long distance that goes harmlessly over the bar.

42:39

Outswinging corner taken by Neil Kilkenny, Wayne Routledge makes a clearance.

40:32

Shaun Derry gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Neil Kilkenny. Free kick crossed right-footed by Ross McCormack, Kaspars Gorkss makes a clearance.

39:40

Heidar Helguson is adjudged to have handled the ball. Kasper Schmeichel restarts play with the free kick.

38:54

Ross McCormack produces a drilled left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

37:24

The assist for the goal came from Richard Naylor.

37:24 Goal scored

Goal - Max Gradel - QPR 1 - 1 Leeds Max Gradel scores a goal from deep inside the penalty box low into the middle of the goal. QPR 1-1 Leeds.

35:17

Corner taken right-footed by Jonathan Howson to the near post, Bradley Orr makes a clearance.

30:32

Corner taken right-footed by Akos Buzsaky, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Tommy Smith goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

29:48

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Clint Hill by Max Gradel. Free kick crossed by Akos Buzsaky.

29:29

Shot by Wayne Routledge. Save by Kasper Schmeichel.

28:49

Heidar Helguson takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the crossbar.

26:06

Ross McCormack takes a shot. Blocked by Bradley Orr.

24:24

The referee blows for offside. Radek Cerny takes the free kick.

22:30

Bradley Orr challenges Ross McCormack unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ross McCormack takes the direct free kick.

17:16

Ross McCormack is ruled offside. Radek Cerny takes the indirect free kick.

15:36

Corner taken by Neil Kilkenny played to the near post, Shaun Derry manages to make a clearance.

14:15

Clint Hill challenges Max Gradel unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Kasper Schmeichel.

10:34

Effort from 20 yards by Max Gradel. Kaspars Gorkss gets a block in.

9:03

Shot by Alejandro Faurlin. Save by Kasper Schmeichel.

7:55

Heidar Helguson takes a shot. Comfortable save by Kasper Schmeichel.

6:13

Max Gradel produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that goes wide left of the target.

5:10

Alejandro Faurlin fouled by Bradley Johnson, the ref awards a free kick. Alejandro Faurlin crosses the ball in from the free kick.

3:03

Free kick awarded for a foul by Clint Hill on Billy Paynter. Paul Connolly takes the free kick.

0:24

Tommy Smith takes a shot. Kasper Schmeichel makes a save.

0:26 Goal scored

Goal - Heidar Helguson - QPR 1 - 0 Leeds Heidar Helguson gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. QPR 1-0 Leeds.

0:00

The match gets underway.

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