Bournemouth 2-1 QPR

QPR were left battered and bruised – but still came up short against 10-men Bournemouth.

Richard Dunne was left with a head wound that needed three different dressings during the game, and Armand Traore limped off having bagged Hoops solitary strike.

A sea mist turned into rain, and all drowned Hoops chances of automatic promotion.

In truth, this was far from a vintage Rs performance, with the better chances created by the Cherries.

Charlie Austin was welcomed back like the messiah when he came on as a sub in the 65th minute – but the leading scorer barely touched the ball with just one back post header under pressure to his name.

At the other end, Robert Green was forced to pull off a pair of great saves in the final five minutes as Rangers went in search of an equaliser more in hope than certainty, and even a last minute corner with Green up, came to nothing as Richard Dunne’s goalbound header was cleared off the line by Brett Pitman.

The game was seconds old when Clint Hill came a cropper in an aerial challenge involving Yann Kermogant.

It was a full four minutes before the Hoops defender dragged himself to his feet and allowed the game to continue.

But Rangers started the better and Junior Hoilett’s lay-back saw Jermaine Jenas take careful aim to bring a dive to his left from former Hoop Lee Camp.

The keeper was needed again a minute later when Ravel Morrison stabbed into the ground but needed Camp to tip over the bouncing shot.

At the other end, Green got in a bit of diving practice as he watched a scuffed effort from Matt Ritchie round the post.

The Rs shot-stopper knew little about the blast straight at him from Kermogant on 37 minutes as he finished off a sweeping move. An inch either side of Green’s chest – and the home side were ahead.

Lewis Grabban might have done better when he got a sight of goal on the left, but only succeeded in screwing it around the post.

But the first minute of first-half added-on time cost Rangers big time.

Ian Harte’s arrowed corner saw skipper Tommy Elphick rise highest to plant a header dead centre past Green – and dead unlucky for Dunne.

The defender needed immediate attention on the sideline and came back sporting a white bandage round his head.

But Cherries were left groggy when Carroll’s brilliant crossfield ball was picked out by Traore who chested and kneed the ball twice before pushing it past Camp left-footed – and all in the first 20 seconds of the second 45.

Grabban’s rising drive from neat Cherry interplay on the edge of the box saw Green tip over.

But on the hour, the striker was first to a loose ball as Green stopped the initial driven cross – but not the rebound from a couple of yards.

Harry Arter was a Green tip-over from making it 3-1, but then the combative midfielder saw red - and not for the first time in his career when a brutal two-footed challenge on Hoilett saw him off in the 68th minute.

Even a man light, Eddie Howe’s team had more than enough, and almost certainly condemned Rangers to another three weeks on the end of the season as they contest the play-offs.

QPR: Green; Simpson, Hill, Dunne, Assou-Ekotto; Jenas (Benayoun 72), Hoilett, Carroll, Traore (Zamora 80); Morrison; Maiga (Austin 65).

Subs (not used): Murphy, Henry, Young, Yun