PAUL FURLONG swooped for his first goal of the season in the final minute to give Chelsea a West London derby win and leave QPR still struggling in the Premiership's relegation zone.
QPR had looked set for their first win in six London derbies this season, and only their third victory in the last 13 League games, when Bradley Allen was left unmarked to head them in front with his first goal for more than a year after 70 minutes.
However, just seven minutes later, 19 year old Malt Brazier put through his own goal to give Chelsea the equaliser in his first full home game.
Things went from bad to worse for QPR when Furlong rose at the far post with seconds remaining to head home Gavin Peacock's brilliant left wing cross and settle the issue in dramatic style.
After a miserable first half in which neither side showed the passion usually associated with derby clashes, Chelsea began to dominate, only to be shocked by Allen's opener in only his second full game this season following three hernia operations.
He was perfectly placed to head in Trevor Sinclair's left wing cross with Chelsea down to 10 men - their Dutch star, Ruud Gullit, having been carried off on a stretcher little more than a minute earlier.
With Peacock on as substitute, Chelsea set about repairing the damage and were given a helping head by Brazier. He could not get out of the way when Michael Duberry put over a hopeful effort from the right and goalkeeper Jurgen Sommer was left stranded by the heavy deflection.
That should have been punishment enough for QPR, who are going through another season of toil at the wrong end of the Premiership, but the knockout blow was still to come as the final seconds ticked away.
Peacock's cross was perfection, taking goalkeeper Sommer out of the action, and Furlong rose at the far post to make up for a largely anonymous performance.
"We didn't play well enough, but perhaps we got the reward for some of our earlier performances this season," said Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle. "When we went a goal down, it finally seemed to change people's minds. They went into a different mode, but it was still one of the poorest displays we've given for some time.
"Obviously the first goal was very fortunate and with the winner coming so late, I feel sorry for Ray Wilkins (the Rangers manager). I know how he will feel because it's happened to us a few times.
Hoddle revealed that Ruud Gullit, who was carried off on a stretcher just before QPR's opening goal, was suffering from sciatic nerve problems. "He has had this problem for a few days and is in a hit of pain at the moment. We will just have to see how it goes. It could last a couple of days or he might be out longer."
