Redknapp overjoyed after ‘amazing’ finale

QPR manager Harry Redknapp admitted he was playing for penalties after Gary O’Neil was sent off in their dramatic last-gasp Championship play-off final victory over Derby County.

O’Neil was dismissed with 30 minutes remaining but Rangers defended manfully and survived mounting Rams pressure before winning promotion thanks to Bobby Zamora’s sublime late strike.

“It was an amazing finish to the game,” Redknapp said. “We were hanging on and looking to get to extra time.

“That was really the only hope I could see for us with 10 man. We were under the cosh.

“We were thinking ‘can we get extra-time, maybe organise, keep things tight and maybe get to penalties?’.

“I would be lying if I said otherwise, and then Bobby sticks that one in the top corner.”

Redknapp brought Zamora on just before O’Neil’s red card and the striker barely had a kick until his brilliant winner.

“When Bobby is fit he is an excellent player,” said Redknapp who did not dispute the red card.

“He holds the ball up and brings others into play, but unfortunately when I got him on we suddenly had Gary sent off and I had a real problem.

“I had to stick Charlie Austin wide to play 4-4-1 and have two banks of four. I had no options really.

“And I stuck Armand Traoroe at left-back, hoping he might have been able to get forward. He couldn’t, though I was hoping he might.

“It was just a backs-to-the-wall job but we defended well with 10 men. Richard Dunne was magnificent and Nedum Onuoha and Rob Green defended for their lives.

“It was great. It’s a good day but I feel for Steve [McClaren]. They played well, and you couldn’t see it coming.”

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