MARK HUGHES is sure he will be given time to put things right at QPR.
By PAUL JIGGINS
Rock-bottom Rangers are still looking for their first top-flight win of the season after crashing to the Hammers.
The odds on Harry Redknapp taking over at the Hoops were last night slashed to 15-8.
But current boss Sparky said: “I think I will be given the time to see this job through.
“We’ve had big investment in the club and we’re looking to improve — and we will.
“It’s still early days but until we get positive results on board, everything is up for debate and focus comes on the club. We just need to start winning football matches and then everything else will go away.”
On this evidence, that is easier said than done. First-half goals from Matt Jarvis and Ricardo Vaz Te put West Ham firmly in control.
And although Rangers hit back strongly after sending on Adel Taarabt for the last 35 minutes, they looked like a team destined for relegation.
Hughes admitted: “I thought our performance in the first half was a step backwards.”
Sparky’s side fell behind in just the third minute.
Vaz Te pulled the ball back to his skipper Kevin Nolan, whose outstretched right leg sent it spiralling to the far post where the unmarked Jarvis nodded back across the face of goal and into the net.
Mo Diame almost made it 2-0 with a deflected effort which flew inches wide before West Ham were dealt a blow when defender Winston Reid went off seeing stars in the 23rd minute following a collision with his own keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Yet the New Zealander’s replacement, James Tomkins, crossed for Vaz Te to hook the second goal past a flapping Julio Cesar 10 minutes before the break.
With the natives restless, Hughes sent on Taarabt and Samba Diakite on 55 minutes and the game almost turned.
Taarabt, axed after Rangers’ opening-day 5-0 home spanking by Swansea, announced his return in glorious fashion.
The Moroccan’s first touch saw him mug Guy Demel, before cutting inside and curling a beauty past Jaaskelainen.
Esteban Granero and Alejandro Faurlin were both denied equalisers by superb stops from the Finnish keeper.
But just when it looked like Rangers might salvage a point, Diakite was sent off in the 75th minute after his second booking following a rash challenge on Demel.
Andy Carroll returned as a late sub for West Ham and should have made it 3-1.
But he was thwarted by Cesar, then blasted the rebound into Row Z.
It was West Ham’s first league away win this season — but they face a £25,000 fine after fussy ref Mark Clattenburg booked EIGHT of their players.
Boss Sam Allardyce said: “It didn’t spoil the result as far as we were concerned but some of his decisions nearly spoilt the game as a spectacle.”
The Hammers are now up to seventh yet Big Sam added: “I’m just a bit disappointed we didn’t score more.”
DREAM TEAM
SUN STAR MAN — COLLINS (WEST HAM)
QPR: Julio Cesar 6, Hill 5, Nelsen 5, Mbia 5, Onuoha 5, Wright-Phillips 6, Granero 7, Faurlin 6, Park 5, Zamora 6, Cisse 6. Subs: Diakite (Park 55) 4, Taarabt (Wright-Phillips 56) 7, Hoilett (Onuoha 84) 5. Not used: Green, Mackie, Ephraim, Ehmer. Booked: Taarabt, Diakite. Sent off: Diakite.
WEST HAM: Jaaskelainen 7, Demel 6, Reid 5, Collins 7, O’Brien 5, Noble 7, Diame 6, Vaz Te 6, Nolan 7, Jarvis 7, Cole 7. Subs: Tomkins (Reid 23) 7, McCartney (O’Brien 35) 5, Carroll (Cole 72) 5. Not used: Henderson, Maiga, Benayoun, O’Neil. Booked: Diame, Noble, McCartney, Jaaskelainen, Cole, Nolan, Collins, Tomkins.
