Queens Park Rangers 3 Burnley 0

Last updated : 30 October 2004 By Footymad Previewer

QPR got back to winning ways as they coasted past Burnley with a first-half goal blitz.

Three goals within 11 minutes put Rangers in control as they steamrollered over Burnley and returned to winning ways following two defeats on the bounce.

A Kevin Gallen penalty on 11 minutes started the goal glut, and strikes from Georges Santos and Paul Furlong put the game beyond doubt.

Rangers always looked the most likely to break the deadlock after Gallen and Martin Rowlands tested home goalkeeper Danny Coyne with early efforts.

And on 11 minutes the game came to life as Furlong was pulled down midway inside the Burnley half by John McGreal.

The Burnley defender was booked for his challenge but worse punishment was to follow for the visitors.

Marcus Bignot chipped the resulting free-kick towards big Santos but the referee judged Graham Branch to have held the QPR man's shirt and pointed straight at the spot.

Gallen stepped up and sent Coyne the wrong way with a perfect strike.

Three minutes later Rangers doubled their lead. A superbly worked free-kick paid dividends as Lee Cook's in-swinging cross was nodded home by Santos.

Burnley looked in disarray and struggled to come to terms with the task ahead of them and it wasn't long before Rangers scored their third.

On 24 minutes goalkeeper Coyne made a complete hash of a Rowlands through ball as he totally missed his kick. Furlong nipped in and tucked the ball away superbly from the edge of the area.

Coyne was consequently stretchered off with a leg injury.

James O'Connor was also introduced in place of striker Branch and came closest to making a breakthrough for Steve Cotterill's team but his curling shot drifted wide on the half-hour mark.

The second half was a quieter affair although Rangers were only denied a fourth goal by substitute goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Gallen met Cook's 56th minute cross with a left-foot shot but Jensen dived brilliantly to tip the ball on to the bar.

Lee Roche headed over and Robbie Blake fired a free-kick over the bar as Burley desperately searched for a way back in to the game.

But it wasn't to be and QPR held out for a comfortable win.