Hoop Dreams - QPR FC

Where to begin? On a day in which there were some big results in the Championship, particularly West Brom's 5-0 demolition of Middlesbrough at the Riverside, QPR's victory at Cardiff City was able to slip slightly under the radar. Its significance for the rest of Rangers' season and for the shape of the Championship could be just as massive though. Not to get too carried away, especially when QPR have been poor for much of this season but there has always been a recognisable potential about the team and a feeling that sooner or later they would gel and pull off some notable results. It looks like yesterday was that day, with one of the early favourites in the Championship easily dispatched and outplayed. The key for Rangers will now be if they can build on that win and add some victories at their own stadium to boot.

It would be typical of QPR if they were to swap last season's abysmal away form for success on the road this year (they are already one win off equalling last season's number of away victories) whilst throwing away the progress made at Loftus Road for flaky home form. What was looking to be a really shaky start to the season appears much brighter in the glow of a win over Cardiff; a win in their game in hand and the Hoops could potentially be in the play-off spots.

How much better their record would look if they had forced the issue a bit more strongly in some of those home games. The most relieved supporter of all could be Flavio Briatore though. Even his formidable PR skills couldn't have dreamed up this win to take away from his motor-racing blues (though his mood could change dramatically depending on the FIA's decision regarding Renault tomorrow).

I mentioned in my preview that a key task for Jim Magilton in future games is getting his midfield balance right, particularly as he now has so many midfielders to pick from. My greatest reservation was that he would play it safe in away games and play Gavin Mahon and Mikele Leigertwood in a defensive midfield partnership. Commendably, he chose to be far more adventurous against Cardiff, placing Ben Watson and Martin Rowlands in the middle of the park with Akos Buzsaky and Wayne Routledge occupying the positions on the flank. To fit in Leigertwood, Peter Ramage again had to sit this one out, with Gary Borrowdale, Damion Stewart and Kaspar Gorkss making up the rest of the defence. Jay Simpson and Rowan Vine headed up the team as Adel Taarabt missed out with the mumps.

By all accounts, it was the attack-minded midfield along with the performance of the prodigious Simpson which made the difference between the two sides, with Simpson afforded more chances then most QPR strikers are ever given on the road. Even before he snatched his coolly taken brace, Simpson had opportunities to open the scoring, with Buzsaky playing him through on goal after 10 minutes, with Simpson just letting the ball outrun him before he could get an effort on target.

He didn't have to wait too long to get his QPR career off the ground though. Borrowdale got the ball forward quickly to Vine, who held the ball up well before playing in Simpson to calmly place his shot past the keeper. Cardiff appealed unsuccessfully for offside but in truth, they were outdone by a striker showing an instinct in front of goal which is all too rarely seen with QPR.

By the end of the half, he had doubled the advantage to send the away fans into dream land. This time, Routledge illustrated just how valuable he has become, making a rapid break down the right before again playing Simpson through on goal. The youngster's emerging confidence was more than apparent in his clinical finish. In fact, he could even have claimed an unlikely hat-trick in the second half, latching onto a precision corner from Ben Watson, before his effort went askew amidst a flurry of legs.

Going into this match, QPR faced two of their biggest fixtures in quite some time, with the Carling Cup clash with Chelsea still to come. Victory in either would have been more than pleasing for the QPR faithful, but in all honesty, the more sensible amongst them would probably take this win over beating Chelsea (though perhaps I am underestimating their mutual antipathy here). The likelihood of beating the Chelse remains extremely slim but few would have predicted a victory over Cardiff either. When there has been so much doom and gloom around Loftus Road this season, it is maybe time to readjust the expectation of the team once again. Not to heap pressure onto them, especially with so many good footballing sides above them, but the talent in this side finally came to the fore yesterday. Repeating such an excellent team performance will now be critical.