GREGORY ACCLAIMS 'HERO' FURLONG
John Gregory branded Paul Furlong his "hero" after the veteran striker virtually secured QPR's Coca-Cola Championship survival in the 3-2 win over Luton at Loftus Road.
Furlong, 38, climbed off the bench to head the dramatic last-minute winner which lifted Rangers seven points clear of the drop zone and left rock-bottom Luton staring relegation in the face.
Chris Coyne and David Bell had cancelled out Dexter Blackstock's opener to put the Hatters on course for their first win under new boss Kevin Blackwell.
But Blackstock coolly tucked home an 80th-minute penalty - won by Furlong - before the former Chelsea and Watford frontman headed the last-gasp winner.
Furlong's intervention handed Gregory's men a third straight win and banished the memory of a missed penalty in the defeat by West Brom last month.
"A couple of weeks ago we were sat here talking about his missed penalty, so he's gone from zero to hero," said the Rangers boss.
"He was devastated when he missed, a few fingers were pointed at him and he felt he'd let everybody down.
"But football is like that - he's come on as a sub and won the penalty and scored the winning goal, so tonight he goes home quite justifiably the hero."
Rangers now look certain to be playing Championship football next season, and Gregory added: "It wasn't pretty, but we're fighting for our lives so we're not here to be pretty. A win against Sunderland and I reckon we'll be safe."
After Blackstock put Rangers ahead against the run of play, Coyne touched in Bell's cross in first-half stoppage time before Bell tucked away a spot-kick after Marc Nygaard had handled.
And Blackwell was unhappy with the penalty decision which allowed Blackstock to drag Rangers level.
Markus Heikkinen was adjudged to have brought down Furlong as both players battled for a high ball, and Blackwell felt his player was fouled.
"I thought the penalty was dubious to say the least," he said.
"To be fair to Furlong he's used all his experience to lean on the lad and he's pulled him over.
"These games are too big to be decided by dodgy penalties like that."
The Hatters are now seven points adrift of safety and Blackwell admitted he was concentrating on building a squad to challenge for promotion from League One next season.
"I've got four games left to see the players and decide who I want to be here and who will be departing," he added.
"It was hard to come into the job after the transfer window. I've got 18 players left to pick from. The trouble with Luton is we're too young, we've not got a squad to compete with the other clubs in this division.
"But I feel for the boys today. They have shown me enough to say they want to play for this club. I thought they were terrific."
Rangers midfielder Gareth Ainsworth's season may be over after he went for an X-ray on a suspected broken ankle.
