Aston Villa 0-1 QPR: It's nod Stewart!

Iain Dowie loves the odour of the QPR dressing room - and there was the sweet smell of success at Villa Park last night as he pulled off another shock.

Dowie grabbed one of the greatest results of his career this time last season when he was the manager at Coventry - beating Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford.

And Damion Stewart's third goal of the season meant Dowie was at it again at Villa Park, as Martin O'Neill's big-four wannabees were left red-faced and out of the competition at the hands of Championship opposition for the second time in a year after their defeat to Leicester last term.

Dowie's hit-and-run raid was perfectly executed as Stewart headed home the 53rd-minute winner.

"I love the smell of the dressing room. I don't mean liniment. I mean the character and the strength of the people in there. They showed that against a team which I think can finish in the top four this season," said Dowie.

"They know how to smile and have a laugh and a joke but, when it comes to being serious and getting the job done, they know how to do that too and I am immensely proud of them. Old Trafford was a pretty special moment for me - but this comes close.

"Martin has to be one of the best managers I have ever come up against and there are not too many bigger clubs in the country than Villa."

Stewart was playing amateur football with Harbour View in Jamaica little more than two years ago and he created the devastation at Villa Park, heading home Daniel Parejo's cross.

But O'Neill insisted that Villa only had themselves to blame and not the six changes he had made to freshen up a squad in the middle of a run of seven games in 21 days.

"We had enough chances to win the game. When the game is in the balance and you don't take your chances, there is always the possibility of conceding a goal," said O'Neill.

"I did not disrespect the competition by fielding a weakened side.

"I wanted to progress and have a chance of winning it. So it is hugely disappointing."

Villa's culprits were their second-string striker Marlon Harewood and, late on, Gareth Barry - who shot wide with only the keeper to beat.

Villa: Guzan, Gardner, Cuellar, Knight, Shorey, Osbourne (Routledge 67), Petrov, Barry, Ashley Young, Harewood (Agbonlahor 67), Carew.
QPR: Cerny, Connolly, Hall, Stewart, Delaney, Mahon, Rowlands, Parejo, Ledesma (Balanta 90), Buzsaky (Leigertwood 81), Agyemang (Di Carmine 66).
Referee: Lee Mason
Attendance : 21,541

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