of the season to give under-pressure boss Harry Redknapp a
much-needed lift after a week in the headlines for all the wrong
reasons.
Austin's double lifted QPR off the foot of the table as the west
Londoners tried to put the embarrassing spat between
Redknapp and Taraabt over the midfielder's weight and fitness
behind them.
Sparking the row by accusing Taarabt of being "three stone
overweight" seemed like an attempted distraction technique
from Redknapp after last week's error-ridden 3-2 defeat to
Liverpool.
But after their poor start to the season there could be no hiding
from the cold hard facts – Rangers face a long battle against the
drop unless things improve fast.
Last night's Austin-inspired display was a good start. Though
things are unlikely to get easier with Chelsea and Manchester
City next up.
The former bricklayer, who fired QPR to promotion last season
with 20 goals, gave the Hoops something to build on with his
brace last night which took his tally for this term to four - half of
Rangers's total this season.
The three points meant QPR leapfrogged Burnley who are now
propping up the league.
Meanwhile it was Villa being taunted with chants of "That's why
you're going down" after another desperate defeat and blank in
front of goal.
At this rate they will get relegated. They have now lost five in a
row for the first time in over 13 years, failed to score in any of
them and gone over eight hours without a goal.
Paul Lambert's men are now 15th and the early days of this
season when they were flying high in second are already a
distant memory.
Victory was another welcome boost for Redknapp after a Twitter
show of support from owner Tony Fernandes.
Fernandes said: "Let's get all our players off the injury list which
we haven't and then judge Harry."
Fernandes was also forced to step in and call for calm in
Redknapp and Taarabt's public war of words last week.
What Redknapp, who has five stars out injured, really needed
was his players to do the talking on the pitch.
They did that thanks to clinical Austin in a low-quality clash.
He smashed in his first on the half volley on 17 minutes from
just outside the box after Bobby Zamora chested down a long
ball to his strike partner.
It was a rare moment of quality in a poor first half. Austin
provided the highlight of the second too.
Shortly after sub Junior Hoilett bent a curler against the post,
Eduardo Vargas burst down the right and fizzed in a low cross
which Austin swept home brilliantly first time in the 69th minute
Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann blew decent headed
chances to draw Villa level in the first half.
But nothing summed up their woes in front of goal more than
their two best chances minutes after Austin doubled QPR's lead.
Benteke and sub Joe Cole got in each other's way as they
combined to make a hash of Matt Lowton's cross.
Then defender Ciaran Clark failed to beat Rob Green from a
couple of yards out even though the ex-England keeper was on
the ground after parrying Tom Cleverley's effort.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
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