SUNDAY MIRROR

Martin Rowlands' hotly disputed penalty inspired a win that hoisted Queens Park Rangers one place further up the table, and all but banished the fear of relegation that had haunted them earlier this season.

Late goals by Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine finished Scunthorpe off, and left Rangers fans celebrating another impressive win under manager Luigi De Canio.

But the manner of defeat was hard to swallow for the visitors, who had taken the lead through Grant McCann's brilliant eighth-minute free-kick.

"It wasn't a penalty and it's not the first time this season that a big decision has gone against us," complained frustrated boss Nigel Adkins, after seeing his players lose their way in the fallout of the penalty drama at the end of the first half.

"We feel very, very hard done by yet again," he added.

Adkins' men were left fuming when referee Mike Thorpe pointed to the spot after Izzy Iriekpen's tackle sent Vine crashing as they challenged for a ball heading well away from goal.

Keeper Joe Murphy was booked in the prolonged protests, before Rowlands sent him the wrong way from the spot to make it level at the break.

It was a crushing blow for the visitors and De Canio admitted it was not a good overall display by the referee.

"On several other occasions I thought the referee did not favour us, and I accepted his mistakes," he said.

"What I will take from this game is the attitude of my team, who showed constant hunger. This is what I have been looking for."

Rangers' persistence finally saw Agyemang drill Rangers ahead late on when he was set up by Akos Buzsaky.

Watched by Bernie Ecclestone - who chose Loftus Road rather than the start of the Formula One season in Australia - Vine completed Rangers' win when he lobbed home deep into injury-time.

It completed a rousing fightback after Fitz Hall's early foul on Geoff Horsfield conceded the free-kick from which McCann beat Lee Camp with ease from 20 yards.

SPORTING LIFE

QPR boss Luigi De Canio insists his team are not yet safe from relegation following their 3-1 win at home to struggling Scunthorpe.

Grant McCann put the visitors ahead but Martin Rowlands equalised with a penalty, and second-half goals from Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine left 12th-placed Rangers seven points away from the top six.

But De Canio said: "I didn't think reaching the play-offs was possible before this game and I haven't changed my mind.

"And while some might say relegation is not possible either, I know from personal experience that is not yet the case.

"When I was at Siena in Italy, we were bottom of Serie A and Bologna were in the UEFA Cup places. We stayed up and in the end it was Bologna that went down."

Scunthorpe went in front against De Canio's side when McCann curled a 25-yard free-kick into the bottom corner.

Agyemang then found the net but was denied a goal by an offside flag, before Rangers eventually equalised in controversial circumstances.

Vine seemed to be tackled fairly by Izzy Iriekpen as he attempted to latch onto Rowlands' through ball, but a penalty was awarded and Rowlands made no mistake with his spot-kick, sending keeper Joe Murphy the wrong way.

Rangers improved after the break but had to wait until 11 minutes before half-time for their all-important second goal.

It came when Agyemang exchanged passes with Akos Buzsaky before firing past the onrushing Murphy for his first goal in seven matches.

And Scunthorpe's fate was sealed in injury time, when former QPR man Ian Baraclough failed to cut out Mikele Leigertwood's crossfield ball and Vine nipped in to score.

"We have given away leads several times this season so it was good to come from behind this time," De Canio added.

"At times we have gone ahead and got complacent, but this time the attitude of the players was exactly what I wanted it to be.

"I never lost faith in them - even when we were 1-0 down. They played the way I wanted them to and showed real desire to win the game."

Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins claimed referee Mike Thorpe's decision to award Rangers a penalty changed the complexion of the game.

Adkins said: "It wasn't a penalty. We were doing well and then that decision went against us, but I have to be careful what I say.

"It's not the first time this season that kind of thing has happened to us and we are very disappointed indeed.

"Consistently this season we have played good football and yet again a decision has gone against us. We've not had much luck.

"We want to play football the right way and have shown we can do that and compete in this division, but it's all about winning and picking up points.

"The turning point today was the penalty. We feel hard done by."

TEAMTALK

QPR claimed a third straight home win as late goals from Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine saw them come from behind to beat Scunthorpe 3-1.

Gavin McCann had bent a brilliant 20-yard free-kick into the bottom-right corner to give Nigel Adkins' side an early lead.

The Hoops hit back two minutes before the break when Martin Rowlands converted from the penalty spot after Izzy Iriekpen had fouled Vine inside the area.

The comeback was complete 11 minutes from the final whistle courtesy of Agyemang's powerful 18-yard drive and Vine sealed the win deep into injury-time.

United's Joe Murphy was the first goalkeeper called into action, making a comfortable save to deny Dexter Blackstock from six yards in the fourth minute.

But just three minutes later it was the Iron who took the lead via McCann's perfectly executed set-piece after Fitz Hall had fouled Geoff Horsfield.

It was the visitors who continued to dominate with Horsfield heading over the crossbar in the 18th minute after McCann's inswinging corner had been punched by Hoops stopper Lee Camp.

Scunthorpe midfielder Jim Goodwin did well to cut out a dangerous cross from Vine and Blackstock had an opportunity to level but the striker headed over from six yards.

Murphy came to the rescue to parry Agyemang's volley and Scunthorpe could have doubled the advantage against the run of play after 26 minutes when McCann fired narrowly over from 12 yards.

Damien Delaney cut in from the left side of the area and fired just past the post and at the other end the impressive McCann tried his luck from 18 yards.

But it was Luigi De Canio's men who netted shortly before the whistle when Rowlands kept his cool from the spot.

Despite that setback it was Scunthorpe who began the brighter in what was a scrappy second half punctuated by offsides and fouls.

Horsfield's driven cross-shot from wide on the left called Camp into action but both goalkeepers were rarely tested.

Mikele Leigertwood was sent through down the right in the 72nd minute but he pulled his shot wide of the right post from 12 yards.

Adkins' side remained on the back foot in the closing stages and Akos Buzsaky could count himself unfortunate when his shot fizzed past the same post.

Eventually the pressure told as Agyemang raced onto the Hungarian playmaker's pass to fire emphatically into the roof of the net from the edge of the area.

More than four minutes of added time had been played when Vine wrapped up the win with a well-taken finish from 12 yards.

The result was harsh on Scunthorpe, who remain 23rd in the table, while the three points has taken the Hoops, who have now scored three times in each of their last three home games, over the 50-point barrier usually enough to guarantee survival.