QPR 0-2 Fulham: Mitrovic scores twice as visitors move a step closer to Premier League return

Aleksandar Mitrovic’s took his season tally to a remarkable 37 league goals as Fulham moved one step closer to securing their return to the Premier League.

After firing his side ahead in the 14th minute the Serbia forward then wrapped up the win with a second half penalty that leaves the Cottagers needing the runaway nine points from their remaining eight games to confirm promotion.

For Mitrovic, those eight games also offer the possibility of eclipsing Guy Whittingham’s record 42 goals in the second tier in the Premier League era.

While Marco Silva and his players are in sight of their target, a fifth defeat in six games dealt another blow to QPR’s hopes of reaching the players.

Rangers’s challenge has faltered badly over the last two months. Having at one point challenged for a top two spot, Mark Warburton’s side came into this clash having won just two of their previous ten league games and in desperate need of a lift.

A home defeat to struggling Peterborough in their previous outing drew an angry reaction from supporters and prompted Warburton to describe his side’s second half performance as their worst in ‘many months’.

The manager challenged his side to respond to that particular low point. But there were few signs Warburton’s team were capable of clinching the victory that would revive their challenge during an opening period in which Fulham asserted control without hitting anything like their best form.

An early Mitrovic effort flew wide after the forward was allowed to turn on the edge of the penalty area and while QPR’s George Thomas fired into the side netting early on, it came as no surprise when the visitors took the lead n the 14th minute.

The goal came after one of the few occasions in the first half when the Cottagers’s normally slick passing game clicked with Tom Cairney delivering a weighted ball that allowed Fabio Carvalho to reach the byline and deliver a low cross towards the near post where Mitrovic turned home.

Rangers appeared disjointed and lacking in confidence but escaped falling further behind when Carvalho shot deflected off Dion Sanderson and struck the woodwork. Keeper Kieren Westwood then came to the home side’s rescue when he produced a fine save to prevent Bobby De Cordova-Reid adding a second shortly before the break.

There was a greater sense of purpose to Fulham’s play after the interval as Silva’s side attempted to put the game out of reach.

The control that had been missing from their play during the first half was more evident and it took a goalline clearance by home centre-back Yoann Barbet to prevent Mitrovic doubling his tally from a corner.

That only delayed the inevitable and the striker claimed his second when he sent Westwood the wring way from the penalty spot after Neco Williams’s 76th minute cross was blocked by Lee Wallace’s arm.

There was little chance of Rangers fighting back and another disappointment was capped when one of Warburton’s assistant’s was sent to the stands in added time.