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QPR's Barclays Premier League survival hopes remained in the balance as they were held by Stoke during the first half at Loftus Road.

Cameron Jerome, recalled to Stoke's starting line-up following his midweek goal, should have given the visitors the lead early on with QPR coming close through an Adel Taarabt free-kick.

Joey Barton also went close for the hosts, but neither side did enough to warrant the lead at the interval.

QPR needed to match Bolton's result at home to West Brom to avoid dropping into the relegation zone while a victory for Stoke could see them move into the top half.

The West London club's home form has given them hope in the survival battle with their woeful away record still threatening to seal a swift return to the second tier.

But it was Stoke who should have taken an early lead as Peter Crouch controlled a long ball from Matthew Upson before releasing Jerome, who fired wide when well-placed.

Pulis' side continued to edge the early stages but QPR nearly took the lead as Taarabt fired in a 12th-minute free-kick that was saved by Sorensen with R's skipper Joey Barton failing to convert the rebound.

As the game started to open up, Ryan Shawcross shot over following a knockdown from a trademark long throw-in.

Taarabt looked to control QPR's attacks but was guilty of selfishness as he took aim from distance instead of picking an easy pass to a team-mate.

Taarabt again attempted to become the headline act on the half-hour mark, as he twisted and turned on the edge of the Stoke box before attempting another effort from distance as QPR started to enjoy more possession than in the opening minutes.

Another shot from outside the box from Barton curled wide of Sorensen's far post.

Bobby Zamora then dispossessed Upson and burst down the right flank before picking out Barton with a cross but the ex-Newcastle midfielder's header was straight at Sorensen.

The game lacked quality as both sides struggled to take control on proceedings in the closing stages of the first half.

HT: QPR 0 Stoke 0

Pulis replaced full-back Marc Wilson with Ryan Shotton at half-time and Fuller almost gave Stoke the lead five minutes into the second half but his curling effort floated just wide as Hughes prepared to introduce Cisse from the bench.

The half-time team talks from both bosses appeared to make little difference the match with chances still at a premium and both sides reverting to long-ball tactics.

Bobby Zamora was felled by Upson on the edge of the Stoke box to present the hosts with a great opportunity to threaten Sorensen.

Taarabt and Taye Taiwo stood over the ball but it was the latter whose effort was drilled straight into the wall. Another set-piece followed soon after with Taarabt this time looking to play a dangerous ball into the box but it was easily cleared.

FT: QPR 1 Stoke 0 Despite the R's needing to keep up their recent run of home form to give them the best chance of survival, they failed to create a clearcut opportunity until the 77th minute.

Taiwo made a lung-bursting run down the left and his cross was met with the head of Cisse but Sorensen managed to claw the ball away at full-stretch.

Jones and Whitehead were brought on by Pulis before Hughes decided to gamble with 10 minutes remaining and introduced Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jay Bothroyd with Zamora and Shaun Derry making way.

The changes injected a fresh impetus into the home side but they were still struggling to break down a staunch Stoke defence.

Anton Ferdinand wasted a good opportunity when he headed well over the crossbar when picked out at the far post.

Crouch then had a chance but his header was also off target as Stoke looked to condemn QPR.

QPR broke forward and following a Ferdinand flick-on from Taarabt's corner, Cisse was on hand to score a dramatic late goal.

There was little time for a response from Stoke as QPR claimed what could prove to be a pivotal three points.

INTRO: Substitute Djibril Cisse scored late on as QPR laboured to a victory over Stoke that could prove vital in their quest for Barclays Premier League survival.

In a game with sparse chances and often wasteful passing, Cisse latched on to Anton Ferdinand's flick-on in the 89th minute to keep Mark Hughes' side two points clear of the relegation zone with one game to play.

Stoke had proved a tough nut to crack for most of the game despite creating little themselves, with Cameron Jerome guilty of wasting their best chance in the early stages.