Yorke double buries QPR

DWIGHT Yorke demolished QPR's bid for three critical survival points after Dani Dichio and Kevin Gallen had grasped the initiative from Villa with two goals in the space of nine minutes early in the second half.

Their hopes were first hit after 18 minutes when Savo Milosevic scored his third goal in the pace of four days for the Coca-Cola Cup finalists.

The Serb striker had gone 13 games before his double on Wednesday, against Sheffield Wednesday, and he kept up his form by prodding a 10-yard shot past keeper Jurgen Sommer after Andy Townsend had paved the way.

It took and excellent save to deny Milosevic a second goal six minutes before the break but it was a different story in the second half. Rangers displayed far more fight and where level after 50 minutes when Dichio claimed his 11th of the season.

The ball had spun high off Paul McGrath and Dichio cooly waited for its return to earth before planting a shot past Mark Bosnich and Rangers probably could not quite believe it when they took the lead.

Ugo Ehiogu was penalised for a push on Dichio and David Bardsley's quickly taken free-kick was pushed out by Bosnich only as far as Gallen, whose shot went in off the post.

But QPR's hopes began to fade when Yorke claimed his 21st goal of the season with a header following a cross by Gary Charles. Yorke had been presented with the Premiership's player of the month award for February, during which he bagged eight goals, and he made it two for March with another header after 80 minutes, again following a Charles centre.

Rangers’ heads dropped and to wrap up a sad occasion, Steve Yates appeared to get the final touch past his own keeper when Alan Wright fired low into a crowded goalmouth.

It was a convincing display by Villa and the only dampner was the loss of influential midfielder [sic] Gareth Southgate, who limped off with an injury to his left ankle after 54 minutes.