Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion - BBC Sport
Brighton beat QPR to return to the top of the Championship with their third win in the space of six days.
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Brighton beat QPR to return to the top of the Championship with their third win in the space of six days.

Glenn Murray's 21st goal of the season broke the deadlock in the second half after he and Tomer Hemed saw first-half finishes disallowed for offside.

Sebastien Pocognoli doubled the Seagulls' lead soon after with a spectacular free-kick.

Matt Smith's header from a corner pulled one back for QPR but Brighton held on to go two points clear.
• None Brighton's win at QPR as it happened

Victory for Brighton - their fifth in their past six games - stretched their advantage over third-placed Huddersfield to 12 points with five games remaining.

The Terriers, who still have seven games to play, are in action at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, while second-placed Newcastle travel to Sheffield Wednesday.

Brighton's first win at Loftus Road in almost 60 years came after a dour first half of few chances.

But, approaching the hour mark, Murray broke the Rangers' offside trap to latch on to Hemed's neat through ball and finish past Alex Smithies.

Left-back Pocognoli, whose last goal was in 2011, then executed a pinpoint free-kick with his left foot which flew in off the crossbar for an unstoppable second.

QPR striker Smith flicked in a header at the near post to make it a nervous last 15 minutes for the visitors.

David Stockdale had parried an earlier effort by Smith from close range and the Brighton goalkeeper had to be alert to prevent his team-mate Steve Sidwell accidentally diverting a Ryan Manning cross into his own net.

"If the league are looking at us wondering if we had a go, then boy oh boy did we have a go. We were absolutely terrific.

"I'm in total admiration. We did everyone else in the league proud by giving everything."

"It's a big win and at this moment every win feels like the biggest one.

"I thought we deserved it, we rode our luck near the end but over the 90 minutes I felt we were the better side.

"It became an old-fashioned game at the end, when you are 2-0 down you are going to go direct. They were difficult to handle but we showed great character and determination."
• None Attempt missed. Yeni N'Gbakoto (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left.
• None Dale Stephens (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
• None Attempt blocked. Idrissa Sylla (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Massimo Luongo.
• None Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. David Stockdale tries a through ball, but Glenn Murray is caught offside.
• None Steve Sidwell (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
• None Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Massimo Luongo tries a through ball, but Matt Smith is caught offside.
• None Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Bruno tries a through ball, but Glenn Murray is caught offside.
• None Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
• None Attempt blocked. Solly March (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Glenn Murray with a headed pass.
• None Sébastien Pocognoli (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card.
• None Delay over. They are ready to continue.
• None Delay in match Dale Stephens (Brighton and Hove Albion) because of an injury. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page