Wednesday took another step towards the Championship play-offs with a 2-1 win at QPR.
While it was a far from convincing 90-minute performance, the three points – coupled with Leeds shock home defeat to Wolves – lifted us to fifth place in the table and, with only three games remaining, we sit two points clear of sixth-placed Fulham and Leeds, who have now slipped to seventh spot.
Adam Reach fired us in front on 12 minutes at Loftus Road and, although shaky defending allowed Idrissa Sylla to equalise eight minutes later, we were back in front just on the half-hour mark when Daniel Pudil headed home after keeper Alex Smithies had blocked Jordan Rhodes’ initial effort.
We might have been further ahead by the break but it was harder work after the interval and, while Barry Bannan and Fernando Forestieri went close, it was more a case of defending what we had to preserve the three points and complete a fourth successive victory.
Carlos Carvalhal said afterwards: “We are very strong and the confidence is high. We have four wins in a row and the mentality is really strong, which is why we achieved the three points today.”
He added: “I want to say thank you to our fans because they were fantastic today throughout the game.
“They follow us very strongly home and away and they help us to do well, because at the end we just want to do well for them.”