Championship Roundup: Saints Beat QPR, Small Stunner Fires Preston

In a night of exciting Championship action, Southampton secured a much-needed victory against QPR, while a stunning goal from Thierry Small propelled Preston to fourth place in the league.

QPR 1 - 2 Southampton

Southampton, under the guidance of interim boss Tonda Eckert, ended their losing streak with a 2-1 victory over QPR at Loftus Road. The Saints, who recently sacked Will Still after a string of disappointing results, climbed to 19th in the table thanks to this win. Eckert made four changes to the starting lineup, restoring Gavin Bazunu in goal and handing starts to Jack Stephens, Tom Fellows, and 18-year-old Jay Robinson.

The first half remained goalless despite both teams creating chances. However, the game sparked to life in the second half when Jay Robinson's deflected shot put Southampton ahead in the 55th minute. Leo Scienza doubled the lead with a spectacular solo goal in the 69th minute, enhancing his growing reputation. QPR responded quickly, with Rumarn Burrell pulling a goal back just four minutes later. Despite QPR's pressure, Southampton held on for the win, with Gavin Bazunu making a crucial save in stoppage time.

QPR, who made five changes to their starting lineup after a 4-1 defeat to Ipswich Town, struggled to find an equalizer and slumped to their third consecutive defeat. QPR's manager Gareth Ainsworth will be disappointed with his team's performance, as they missed several opportunities to get back into the game. QPR remains in mid-table, positioned at 16th.

Preston 2 - 1 Swansea

At Deepdale, Thierry Small's sensational early strike set the tone as Preston defeated Swansea 2-1. The 21-year-old left back unleashed an unstoppable shot from 30 yards in the 8th minute, giving Preston an early lead. Milutin Osmajic added a second in the 49th minute, his fourth of the season. Eom Ji-Sung pulled one back for Swansea with a curling strike in the 80th minute, but Preston held on to secure the victory.

Preston's win moved them up to fourth in the Championship table. Manager Ryan Lowe will be delighted with his team's performance, particularly Small's stunning goal. Swansea, despite playing well in spells, were unable to overcome Preston's strong defense and remain in the bottom half of the table. The attendance at Deepdale was 15,911, including 399 Swansea City fans.