Queens Park Rangers were the authors of their own misfortune as they gifted Fulham three first-half goals to drop themselves deeper into the relegation mire at Craven Cottage last night.
Rangers refused to throw in the towel in their fight to stay up and they fought back with two goals of their own. But even the late sending-off of Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell was not enough to save them.
John Motson said on BBC Radio Five ahead of last night's clash: 'If QPR win tonight then they are still in the fight against relegation. If they don't win then they are going down. It's as definitive as that,'.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Duff, Karagounis, Sidwell, Dejagah (Emanuelson 38) (Frimpong 80), Ruiz, Berbatov.Subs: Etheridge, Richardson, Hughes, Rodallega, Frei.
QPR: Julio Cesar, Bosingwa, Samba, Hill (Onuhoa 46), Traore (Mackie 84), Townsend, Mbia, Jenas, Taarabt (Hoilett 75), Zamora, Remy.Subs: Green, Park, Granero, Ben Haim,
Yes, Redknapp's arrival at Loftus Road has resulted in an upsurge in fortunes but QPR need considerably more than an upsurge to avoid relegation. They need a miracle.
Fulham didn't care as they raced into an eighth-minute lead. Rangers had actually started pretty well, Stephane Mbia notching the night's first shot on target with a low 20-yard drive that was easily held by Mark Schwarzer.
The £12.5million January signing from Anzhi Makhachkala brought down Ashkan Dejagah with an outstretched right leg in the area after a tussle with Dimitar Berbatov, leaving referee Lee Probert with no option but to point to the spot.
Redknapp looked annoyed as he gesticulated to coach Steve Cotterill on the visitors bench but, if the Rangers manager was looking for a reaction from his relegation-threatened side, he certainly did not get it.
Fulham poured forward, sensing their West London rivals' jugular was exposed. Berbatov flicked a header narrowly wide in the 18th minute after Bryan Ruiz had helped on Giorgos Karagounis's corner.
Less than two minutes later, Rangers were nearly undone by another Fulham set piece; this time Brede Hangeland glanced a header from Damien Duff's inswinging free-kick and Samba deflected it wide with his body. Then Cesar let a routine corner slip though his grasp.
Redknapp was visibly frustrated. But the 66-year-old would have been dumbfounded by the utter foolishness that followed on the part of Samba.
With time to clear on the edge of his penalty area, the former Blackburn defender showed all the urgency of a holidaymaker as he was dispossessed by Dejagah, leaving Berbatov to roll the ball expertly past Cesar and into the net with the outside of his boot.
Samba shook his head, Redknapp did too. It's not quite what you expect from the club's record signing, who is the Rangers' best paid player ever on £100,000 a week.
In contrast, Fulham manager Martin Jol wore a smile. Newcastle's Alan Pardew and Wigan's Roberto Martinez, who were in attendance last night, would have been happy too as they watched their relegation rivals suffer.
Rangers threatened a reply. Bobby Zamora fired an awkward half- volley over the bar, which was greeted with cheers as loud as the proceeding goals given the striker's former alleigiances to Fulham
But Fulham took a three-goal lead in the 41st minute. This time Clint Hill has shaking his head after John Arne Riise's cutback deflected off the defender into the net.
However, where there is Redknapp, there tends to be hope. Adel Taarabt gave the visitors something to fight for, capitalising on Karagounis's misplaced pass to fire past Schwarzer from the edge of the box in first-half stoppage time.
The goal probably would not have been enough to save Rangers from a half-time rocket and skipper Hill was replaced by Nedum Onuoha at the break.
Rangers came out fighting and Karagounis handed Rangers a golden chance to score a second with a needless challenge on Taarabt in the area for Probert to award another penalty.
However, Schwarzer pulled off a brilliant stop from Remy to preserve Fulham's two-goal advantage in the 48th minute.
Redknapp's face was a study in anger but Remy made amends within three minutes when he breathed life into QPR's survival challenge, firing past Schwarzer from Mbia's through ball.
Rangers were offered another lifeline in the 78th minute when Sidwell was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Armand Traore. Cue the kitchen sink.
Via: [Live Football] Dijon Footbal - Berrichonne de Châteauroux
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