Furlong gets accolades from Holloway

Ian Holloway paid tribute to Queens Park Rangers striker Paul Furlong after his third goal in two games helped them to a 2-0 win at Crewe last night.

Furlong opened the scoring with a sensational 30-yard free kick which arrowed into the far corner before Georges Santos secured the win when he headed home a corner in the 68th minute.

Holloway said: "Furlong's goal was a marvellous strike. It hit the back of the net before the keeper could blink and I think it must have taken his eyebrows off. I told Paul afterwards it had been registered as reaching 400 miles per hour!

"He hits them like that all the time in training. My lads know what he can do and now their keeper does as well."

Rangers' second win in four days eased the pressure on Holloway, whose position came under scrutiny following his club's poor start to the season.

"I'm totally and utterly committed to this club and proud of it," Holloway said. "Bobby Robson and Paul Sturrock have already lost their jobs this season and it's getting ludicrous. But it's my choice to be in this profession. I accept that and I'm enjoying it at the moment."

The Rangers manager added: "The boys took some of the criticism personally last week and they felt they had a point to prove. If they can play like that every week I will be a very happy man."