Premier League: QPR 3 Sunderland 1

Queens Park Rangers earned their first back-to-back wins of the Premier League season as they beat Sunderland 3-1 at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Wonder strikes from Andros Townsend and Jermaine Jenas gave Harry Redknapp’s team victory, although they remain on the bottom of the table, four points adrift of safety.

A bright start from the hosts was seemly counteracted by an early strike from Steven Fletcher but Loic Remy coolly dispatched the equaliser 10 minutes later before brilliant second-half volleys from Townsend and Jenas secured the points for the home side.

Having targeted five more wins before the game, Redknapp sacrificed Adel Taarabt for the second week in a row as Junior Hoilett started on the left, with Remy and Bobby Zamora pairing up in attack. Stopper Julio Cesar could not regain fitness in time, however, and was replaced by Rob Green.

Sunderland, meanwhile, named an unchanged side from their 2-2 draw with Fulham as Danny Graham partnered Fletcher up front and Titus Bramble and John O’Shea continued at the back.

It was the home side and Hoilett in particular who started most dynamically. The 22-year-old showed promise early on as he first almost played Zamora in and then nearly opened the scoring himself after cutting inside and curling a powerful strike ju
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Yet it was Sunderland – and top scorer Fletcher – who made the early breakthrough on 20 minutes. An Alfred N’Diaye-led counterattack ended with Adam Johnson firing in a shot from close-range and the Scotland striker managed to redirect into the back of the net for his 11th of the season.

But the hosts retaliated on the half-hour mark through a clinical striker of their own. A blocked shot from Townsend fell straight into the path of Remy, who made no mistake inside the area to score his third goal in four league starts.

And the 26-year-old almost doubled his tally with a smart header three minutes later before fluffing a great opportunity to volley shortly after. Simon Mignolet was on guard to deny the initial header but had the Frenchman connected properly the second time around, there would have been very little the Belgian keeper could have done.

Nevertheless, the hosts were now firmly on top and headed into the break with real hope of achieving only their fourth Premier League win of the season.

On 56 minutes, Martin O’Neill brought Danny Rose on for Graham in a seemingly defensive move. With Sunderland not having won in their past five, the Northern Irishman appeared content to leave Loftus Road with a point.

But there seemed an inevitability about QPR taking all three points as set-piece after set-piece was whipped into the box and soon, the hosts had the lead – and in some style.

A loose ball found its way towards Townsend roughly 30 yards from goal and the 21-year-old took a touch with his chest before thumping a beautifully struck left-foot volley straight into the top corner.

And minutes later, another January signing confirmed victory as substitute Jenas thumped a right-foot volley home.