QPR still not safe after fifth consecutive defeat

QPR 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2

Struggling QPR suffered a fifth consecutive defeat and are still not safe from relegation.

​Adam Reach play-off chasers Sheffield Wednesday ahead at Loftus Road, where Daniel Pudil restored their lead after Idrissa Sylla’s 10th goal of the season had hauled Rangers level.

Wednesday dominated most of the first half and went in front in the 12th minute.

Pudil’s left-wing cross ricocheted into the path of Reach, who blasted in from near the edge of the six-yard box.

Sylla equalised from a similar position nine minutes later.

After Jamie Mackie exchanged passes with Ryan Manning and went down in the box, the loose ball rolled to Sylla, who fired past keeper Keiren Westwood at the near post.

But the Owls hit back just after the half-hour mark, when Pudil followed up to head home after goalkeeper Alex Smithies had managed to keep out Jordan Rhodes’ header from Ross Wallace’s right-wing free-kick.

Wallace might then have made it 3-1 had Jack Robinson not thwarted him with a last-ditch challenge after the winger had been found by Reach’s pass.

Westwood denied Sylla a second goal shortly before half-time, tipping over the striker’s header from Robinson’s long throw.

And Jake Bidwell missed a decent chance to equalise a couple of minutes after the restart by volleying over from inside the penalty area after Wednesday were unable to properly clear Luke Freeman’s free-kick.

Rangers maintained their early second-half pressure and had appeals for a penalty waved away after Westwood clattered into Mackie on the right-hand side of the area.

On-loan Brighton winger Kazenga LuaLua, brought on as a half-time substitute for the R’s, then sent a wayward effort high and wide ​of the target ​as Ian Holloway’s side appeared to run out of ideas.

The visitors remained a threat ​and ​Rhodes had a header saved by Smithies, Barry Bannan sent a long-range effort narrowly over, and Pudil headed over from Bannan’s corner.

Rangers boss Holloway brought target man Matt Smith on for the final 15 minutes and switched to three up front in an attempt to find a second equaliser.

And Smith almost snatched a point when he headed wide from Bidwell’s late cross.