Port Vale 2 Queens Park Rangers 0

Last updated : 21 October 2003 By Footymad Previewer

After Saturday's drubbing by Plymouth, Brian Horton was hoping his team would show more conviction in front of goal and Port Vale did just that to see off QPR 2-0.

QPR were still half asleep when Vale pounced in the fifth minute after Steve McPhee squeezed the ball through to talented youngster Billy Paynter, and he showed his maturity when he lashed the ball home with his left foot into Chris Day's bottom right corner from ten yards.

Andreas Lipa launched a 30-yard ball out to the left wing four minutes later where Adrian Littlejohn was waiting to receive and then crossed for McPhee who leapt into the air to power the ball straight through Day and into the centre of the net.

It was Lipa again who nearly killed off Rangers before the break after Sam Collins hoofed his free-kick to the back post where the Austrian leapt above keeper Day only to see his header fall on to the post and go wide.

Two subs at half time seemed to boost the London club as they went on the attack straight from the whistle.

They came close to pulling one back several times with Mark Bircham and substitute Richard Pacquette both missing narrowly.

The Valiants looked happy to soak up the pressure with only ten man and it seemed to work with Rangers having to resort to long-range efforts, with the best being Martin Rowlands' shot from 20 yards which he could only manage to put inches over the bar.

Horton said after the game: "There's only one way to describe that and that's magnificent.

"It should have been all over by half time because we could have had at least four or five.

"QPR are a good side but we were definitely better than them.

"It just shows the diversity of my team when we've gone from the depths on Saturday to a great performance this time, if we can carry on playing like that then there isn't a better side in the League."