This was it for QPR fans: apart from those deluded / faithful enough to think they'd get a point or 3 from Manchester City's Etihad Stadium on the last day of the Barclay's Premiership season next Sunday, Queens Park Rangers’ game against Stoke City on the 6th of May 2012 was a vital win for the Rs if they had any hope of staying in the league. They knew Stoke would not lie down for them; not just for the sake of their pride, but also because a win for the Potters would increase their chance of ending the season in the top half of the Premiership, beating their previous best points tally in the top flight. City’s intentions were clear from the team sheet as their manager Tony Pulis opted for an attacking 4-5-1 formation with Jerome & Fuller out wide, while Mark Hughes’ similar formation meant Taarabt started back his 1 game red card suspension, with Cisse on the bench. The pressure on the home team at Loftus Road, coupled with Stoke’s tradition of closing down teams, meant that the battle of the Welsh managers started a nervous affair, broken by former QPR player Crouch’s flick on to Jerome’s bursting run, only for Jerome to lift his shot over Rs’ keeper Kenny’s bar. QPR had the majority of the possession in midfield with the occasional lightening skill from an on-fire Taarabt leading to some fine saves from City’s keeper Sorenson. Unable to break City down, though, the packed Loftus Rd crowd were dismayed to find that Bolton, their main rivals for that priceless 4th-from-bottom league position, were 2-0 up at half time against newly anointed England manager Roy Hodgson’s West Bromwich Albion. The 2nd half rolled on with chances – and strong challenges – flying in from both of these physical sides. Both managers made changes – Hughes brought Cisse on to try to open up Stoke’s defence. The home fans were becoming increasingly frustrated as the Stoke fans encouraged their team to make one of their chances pay. And with time running out, Crouch came close to giving Stoke all 3 points: his header from Whitehead’s corner sailed just past the post. But it was a corner a few minutes later, at the other end of the pitch, that seemed to explode west London. Much maligned Barton, fresh from his appearance with Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight earlier in the week, topped one of his best performances in the season by trying a shot on target. When it came out to Ferdinand, he flicked it back in the box and Cisse’s powerful header into the back of the net gave the QPR crowd the ecstasy they so desperately needed. 1-0 to QPR in the 88th minute – they sure know how to keep the crowd on their toes! In the final minute, the news that West Brom had equalised against Bolton spread like wild fire around the ground, leading to a pitch invasion at the final whistle. The Stoke players were desperately unhappy, knowing they had squandered good chances to upset the scenes happening around them and be part of Stoke’s best Premiership performance. However, Stoke can still play a part in QPR’s story: they are at home to Bolton on the Premiership’s final day. A win for Bolton is their only chance of staying up: a draw, and, even if QPR lose to Man City, QPR are safe. It all goes down to the wire. Who would want it any other way?