Jacob Brown scores winner as Stoke all but end QPR’s play-off hopes

Stoke City as good as ended QPR’s play-off hopes with a 1-0 victory despite the absence of boss Michael O’Neill.

The former Northern Ireland manager, who underwent surgery for a hip replacement in midweek, watched on from home with a phone-line to assistant Dean Holden.

And O’Neill’s messages were received loud and clear as the Potters coasted to a comfortable victory thanks to Jacob Brown’s stabbed effort before the interval.

The visiting Hoops, who were only three points below the play-offs prior to the game, were resigned to an eighth defeat in 11 outings.

The hosts, in the midst in a purple patch after four wins in six matches, started firmly in the ascendancy and could have opened the scoring inside the opening two minutes. A Josh Tymon cross was flicked on inadvertently by a QPR head to the feet of Lewis Baker, whose prodded half-volley dropped narrowly wide.

Despite Stoke’s bright start, they nearly found themselves fall behind in bizarre circumstances when Taylor Harwood-Bellis almost mis-controlled a pass directly into his own net.

Rangers keeper Keiren Westwood rolled back the years with a sequence of impressive stops, first denying a venomous Romaine Sawyers strike from range with his feet after it took a wicked deflection.

The lively Tymon then found opposite wing-back Tommy Smith in a promising position, but the latter’s first-time effort curled harmlessly wide.

Josh Maja continued the hosts’ assault before half-time when he attempted to guide a curling effort into the far corner, but again the 37-year-old Westwood was equal to it.

However, the Potters’ persistence eventually paid off in added time when QPR failed to clear a corner and poacher Brown was on hand to rifle in his 13th league goal of the season