QPR 1-0 Derby County: Rams relegated to League One

Derby County have been relegated from the Championship after suffering a dramatic late defeat at Queens Park Rangers.

Relegation with three games to go means Derby will play in England’s third tier for the first time since 1986.

Their fight for survival, in a campaign crippled by a 21-point deduction, could only have been prolonged if they equalled or bettered Reading’s result.

When Amos coolly slipped the ball past goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, their hopes of staying up had taken a major blow but were not over.

However, Tom McIntyre’s 95th-minute leveller for Reading left the Rams 10 points behind the 21st-placed Royals with three games remaining.

Even then, Tom Lawrence was sent off for a second yellow card for a foul on Charlie Austin to compound Derby’s misery.

QPR ended a seven-match winless run to move up to 10th in the table and to within two points of the top six, although sixth-placed Sheffield United could increase that gap if they beat Bristol City later on Monday.

In a nervy first half of the high-stakes game in west London, Amos had an early goal ruled out for offside while Luke Plange skimmed Derby’s best chance off the top off the crossbar with a header.

A crucial block from Derby full-back Nathan Byrne to foil Lyndon Dykes after the half-hour mark summed up the steadfast determination Rooney’s Rams have played with throughout a fraught campaign.

If not for the 21-point deduction this season, for entering administration and breaching the EFL’s financial regulations, Derby would be 17th in the table and almost as close to the play-off places as the relegation spots.

Allsop made two crucial second-half saves, denying Ilias Chair and Dykes, but Amos finished a quick counter attack with two minutes left to break Derby’s resistance and ultimately shatter what hopes they had of avoiding the drop.

Five players in contract

Derby’s spirited attempt to stay in the Championship is over, but the protracted efforts to sell the club are ongoing.

US businessman Chris Kirchner was confirmed as the preferred bidder to buy the club earlier this month, but while the sale continues it means Derby remain in administration – having been placed there by former owner Mel Morris 208 days ago.

With just five players contracted for next season and the Rams under a transfer embargo, rebuilding the East Midlands club in League One will present significant challenges for whoever is involved.

Rooney’s future with the Rams is also uncertain, with the 36-year-old linked with the vacant job at Premier League side Burnley. Earlier this season he rejected an approach from boyhood club Everton to speak to them about taking charge at Goodison Park.

‘Fans should be proud’

Analysis – Ed Dawes, BBC Radio Derby’s Derby County commentator

The effort, energy, creativity, fighting for the cause, camaraderie. It’s all been there in recent months.

Those relationships have meant this team have taken it to game 43 with a 21-point deduction and that has to be commended.

The amount of players that have been introduced and brought through, that’s a good starting block for next season.

If they can get one or two senior players to sign new contracts and play for Wayne Rooney next season, even in League One, then Derby have a fighting chance.

Minus 15 points is a very strong possibility next season, but that’s from the off and not in late September.

Derby fans should be very proud of their team and I’m sure they are.

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