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Sam Gallagher is Blackburn's joint-top scorer this season with 11 goals

Sam Gallagher scored a stoppage-time winner to boost Blackburn's survival hopes with victory over QPR.

The visitors were almost ahead inside the first minute with Jamie Mackie forcing a save from Jason Steele.

And they felt aggrieved not to be ahead after an hour, when Conor Washington's header appeared to cross the line but was not given by the officials.

Gallagher then won it late on for Blackburn, tucking home his 11th of the season from Marvin Emnes' cross.

It was an electric start to the game for QPR, who saw Mackie and Joel Lynch both denied by Steele inside the opening five minutes, with a Massimo Luongo effort also blocked.

Conor Washington appeals to referee Tony Harrington after his header appears to cross the line

Blackburn's only shot on target in the first half came via a Charlie Mulgrew free-kick, which was easily saved by Alex Smithies.

But the big talking point came on the hour mark, when Washington's 12-yard header hit the underside of the bar and appeared to cross the line, however the officials disagreed despite QPR's protestations.

As the game looked destined for a stalemate, Gallagher's half-volley from Emnes' left-wing cross secured all three points for Rovers, who remain three points from safety but go above Wigan into 22nd.

QPR drop to 19th, following Nottingham Forest's win over Aston Villa, and are now just six points clear of the relegation places.

Blackburn manager Owen Coyle: "The club, for a number of years, there has been loads of stuff going on. The bottom line is anybody who knows me knows how resilient I am, knows how focused I am.

"I totally understand the frustration (of fans) if you're at home, it's 0-0, you want to win the game, but there's still time to win.

"What was nice today, given there has been a number of times we've lost points late on, it was nice to turn that on its head and turn that one point into three.

"It was well earned because we were well worth the three points today. No doubt about it."