Half-time: QPR 1 Middlesbrough 1

Jamie Mackie’s fabulous equaliser – his first goal since returning to QPR last summer – hauled them level at Loftus Road after Jordan Rhodes had opened the scoring.

Mackie prevented George Friend from clearing Alejandro Faurlin’s free-kick and was quick to the resulting loose ball, turning and firing a ferocious volley from the edge of the penalty area which crossed the line after striking the underside of the bar.

The goal came on the half-hour mark – 13 minutes after Rhodes capitalised on an error by Grant Hall to score just his second goal since joining Middlesbrough two months ago.

Hall misjudged Grant Leadbitter’s punt forward and his failure to head clear allowed Rhodes to latch on to the ball and round keeper Alex Smithies.

Rhodes scuffed his left-footed shot from an awkward angle, but that left Hall off-balance as he attempted to clear off the line, and the defender was unable to keep the ball out of the net.

Hall, recently sidelined by a foot injury, returned to the Rangers starting line-up along with Matt Phillips.

Sebastian Polter continued up front, supported by Tjaronn Chery, with Conor Washington again among the substitutes.