QPR v Newcastle: Key Moments

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Queens Park Rangers 1 (Remy pen 11)
Newcastle United 2 (Ben Arfa pen 18, Gouffran 35)

SECOND HALF UPDATES

90+3mins: The away fans have been whistling for some time, pleading with Lee Probert to end the game, and finally he does. Newcastle United are safe and their supporters celebrate while a handful of home fans run onto the pitch. Some of them choose to goad the Magpies support but they won't care - their team will play in the top flight next season while QPR head into the Championship. More fans then stream onto the pitch and at least one missile is thrown into the black and white section but the United followers keep cool.

90+1mins: Perch makes a great tackle but the ball sits up perfectly for Townsend to strike and his dipping effort drops just over the bar, with Harper flying across his goal.

90mins: There will be three minutes of added time - that's what now stands between ten-man Newcastle and safety.

89mins: Zamora takes a touch and spins in the box but fires his shot from eight yards over the bar as some of the home fans began to leave.

86mins: Obertan breaks up play and surges forward before playing the ball to Cisse, who opts to shoot from distance and the ball is easily fielded by Green. The striker may have been better off heading towards one of the corner flags there.

84mins: Sensing blood, Harry Redknapp brings on Adel Taarabt for Hoilett.

81mins: Derry's ball into the channel is caught by Elliot, who strays just outside his box as he grabs the ball. The assistant referee does not flag but then, as the home fans appeal, he does. Suddenly referee Probert has a decision to make and has to give a free-kick - and show Elliot a second yellow card. So on comes veteran Steve Harper in place of Ben Arfa for what could still be one of the most important games in his long career at the Club.

78mins: Gabriel Obertan is on in place of the hard-working Gouffran, whose 35th minute goal could prove to be the winner here.

74mins: Ben Arfa suddenly explodes into life as he leaves three defenders trailing with a surging run through the middle and then plays in Gouffran to his right, but the ex-Bordeaux man's cross-cum-shot goes wide of the far post.

70mins: Cabaye's left-wing free-kick is inadvertantly put back into the danger area by Derry and then loops up in the air towards Gutierrez, whose header is hacked off the line as Newcastle fruitlessly appeal for a goal.

68mins: Elliot is booked for kicking the ball away after the away of a QPR free-kick.

66mins: Armand Traore plays a blatant backpass to Green, which the keeper picks up, and although Probert initially seems set not to act he eventually gives Newcastle an indirect free-kick inside the box. Cabaye tees Ben Arfa up to shoot but he drills it into the wall.

62mins: Townsend works the ball intelligently to Hoilett, who runs and drags a low shot just across goal with Elliot rooted to the spot. That was by some distance the closest QPR have come to an equaliser in this rather dull second period.

52mins: Today's attendance is 17,278 with 1,608 away fans. Cheick Tiote, who picked up a knock in the first half, is replaced by James Perch in United's first change.

46mins: Queens Park Rangers get the second half underway and will be determined to end their home campaign on a high note. Harry Redknapp has introduced Shaun Derry for Stephane Mbia and Fabio da Silva for Jose Bosingwa - a substitution which goes down particularly well with the home fans.

FIRST HALF UPDATES

45+3mins: Knowing that a win today would guarantee Barclays Premier League survival, Newcastle have recovered from a nightmare start - when they went 1-0 down after 11 minutes to a dubious Loic Remy penalty - to lead at half-time against QPR. Hatem Ben Arfa levelled matters with a controversial spot-kick of his own before Yoan Gouffran capitalised on poor defending to slot United in front here at Loftus Road.

45mins: As Cabaye flashes a shot off target, the board goes up to show that there will be three minutes of stoppage time.

41mins: Gutierrez tries his luck from distance as the R's fail to clear their lines but his drive flies over the bar.

37mins: Mbia is booked for a foul on Cheick Tiote on the halfway line, which gives Elliot a chance to receive some treatment. The home fans, who were gleefully taunting the away supporters when they were in front, have now turned their attention to booing and jeering Bosingwa - a player who has never truly won them over and has been at fault for both Newcastle goals.

35mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-2): That's why QPR are bottom of the league - they concede a horrendous goal as Newcastle take the lead. Rob Green is played into trouble by a week backpass from Bosingwa but the goalkeeper is somewhat lazy in his clearance. Jonas Gutierrez is quite the opposite, however, as he races to charge it down and as the ball hits the Argentine, it falls for Gouffran who shows great composure to slot the ball into the empty net from 20 yards. To make matters worse for the hosts, United actually wanted play stopped a few seconds earlier as Rob Elliot took a knock as he punched away a Hoilett corner.

31mins: Hoilett works a slick one-two with Zamora before firing in a shot which Elliot does well to parry firmly away.

30mins: After Stephane Mbia catches Cabaye high without Probert taking any action, Mike Williamson goes in to tackle Mbia and is harshly booked.

22mins: Newcastle have the ball in the net again but this time it doesn't count - Debuchy delivered a wonderful cross from the right and Papiss Cisse headed powerfully beyond Rob Green, but the flag was up against the Senegalese star.

18mins - NEWCASTLE GOAL (1-1): A tug on Ben Arfa by Bosingwa gives Newcastle the chance to level from the spot and the Frenchman duly obliges, smashing into the top corner from 12 yards. It's a quick response from the Magpies and that goal could prove crucial.

17mins: Debuchy plays an intelligent pass along the ground to Gouffran, who cuts the ball from the right wing back to Cabaye but his shot is superbly blocked by Jose Bosingwa.

14mins: Hatem Ben Arfa sends over a corner from the left which is headed clear but volleyed back towards goal by Cabaye. It's well wide, though, from the former Lille skipper.

11mins - QPR GOAL (1-0): Loic Remy, the man who Alan Pardew tried so hard to bring to St. James' Park in January, confidently sends Rob Elliot the wrong way and bottom of the table Rangers lead United.

10mins: QPR have a penalty - Junior Hoilett streaks down the left and goes down under Mathieu Debuchy's challenge right on the edge of the area. Referee Lee Probert deems it to be inside the box, however, and awards a spot-kick. Yohan Cabaye is booked for his protestations.

6mins: Andros Townsend, the tricky winger on loan from Spurs, takes a tumble under Yoan Gouffran's challenge on the edge of the area and Bobby Zamora steps up to take the resulting free-kick, 22 yards from goal. It's a poor effort from the former West Ham man, though, as it flies into the crowd.

1min: Queens Park Rangers, already relegated, have nothing to play for except for pride but three points for Newcastle would be priceless as they go in search of only a second away win of the campaign. They're in their fluo-lime change kit with the R's wearing blue and white hoops. It's the Magpies who get the game started.

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): Robert Green; Jose Bosingwa (Fabio da Silva 46), Nedum Onuoha, Clint Hill (c), Armand Traore; Andros Townsend, Jermaine Jenas, Stephane Mbia (Shaun Derry 46), Junior Hoilett (Adel Taarabt 84); Loic Remy, Bobby Zamora

Subs not used: Brian Murphy, Esteban Granero, Ji-Sung Park, Jamie Mackie

Newcastle United (4-3-3): Rob Elliot; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote (James Perch 52), Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa (Steve Harper 81), Papiss Cisse, Yoan Gouffran (Gabriel Obertan 78)

Subs not used: Danny Simpson, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux, Adam Campbell

Referee: Lee Probert