Austin praises Zamora after Man City draw
Charlie Austin hailed his blossoming strike partnership with Bobby Zamora after continuing his fine QPR form against Manchester City.
Austin opened the scoring in a breathless 2-2 draw with the off-colour Premier League champions at Loftus Road on Saturday.
The former Burnley striker also crossed for Martin Demichelis to put through his own goal under pressure from Zamora, but the mercurial Sergio Aguero hit back on two occasions to salvage a point for Manuel Pellegrini's team.
A fine display in front of England manager Roy Hodgson means Austin has six goals this season and four in his last three matches.
However, he was quick to praise the role played by Zamora and his other team-mates in the recent hot streak.
"It's a good run but I can't do it without my team-mates creating chances for me," Austin told Sky Sports. "I'm just putting the ball in the back of the net.
"You've seen the problems we've caused top teams since we [Austin and Zamora] struck up our partnership and I think we'll continue to do that throughout the season.
"I'm just trying to put in performances for the team. All of the team are working hard for everybody.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"We've come off the pitch disappointed against the champions and it just shows how well the whole team is doing."
After City struggled for long periods in the face of a Rangers performance brimming with energy and intensity, Zamora echoed Austin's claims that a draw had left the Premier League's second-bottom team rueful.
"We are pleased but on the other hand slightly disappointed not to have all three points - it would have been a great scalp" he told Sky Sports.
"They've had a tough week [having lost to CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Champions League], they've been under a bit of pressure and it was a good time to play them.
"It was horrible weather, the crowd made it hard for them as well and we were well up for it."
Austin had the ball in the net twice before his 21st-minute opener and found himself at the centre of an unusual incident.
From a free-kick awarded after an Austin header had been ruled out for offside, City goalkeeper Joe Hart struck the ball with his standing foot before mis-kicking to Austin, who converted superbly.
The goal could not stand as a free-kick inside the defending team's own penalty area must leave the 18-yard box directly - a rule the QPR player admitted he was not familiar with.
"No [I didn't understand]," he added. "Did you not see my celebration? I turned round and no one was with me. That's when I looked back and everyone's round the ref.
"To be honest, when it came to me I thought 'right, shoot' and I thought I'd put us 1-0 up but it didn't count."