28 Oct 2014

QPR beat Villa to climb off bottom

12:04 pm on 28 October 2014

Queens Park Rangers have moved off the bottom of English football's Premier League ladder, with a 2-0 home win over Aston Villa.

Harry Redknapp watches his QPR in action against Villa

Harry Redknapp watches his QPR in action against Villa Photo: PHOTOSPORT

It was just the second win of the season for Harry Redknapp's West London side and their first since August.

Striker Charlie Austin scored twice to help under-pressure manager Redknapp, whose struggling team had won just once in their opening eight games.

But a goal in either half from Austin helped lighten the mood at Loftus Road.

Aston Villa, beaten in their last five games without scoring a goal, started brightly but Austin calmed the home fans' nerves when he lashed an excellent half volley into the bottom corner with 17 minutes gone.

Then the English striker struck again after 69 minutes with a deft side-footed finish inside Villa's American keeper Brad Guzan's near post from an Eduardo Vargas cross.

The win lifted Redknapp's side to 19th on seven points, ahead of Burnley on four, while Villa dropped to 15th in the table with their search for a league goal extending to over eight hours.