Relegation looms as dire QPR lose again
QPR’s horrific slump towards the relegation zone continued with another dismal defeat – their 10th at home this season.
Tom Cannon netted twice in the space of four second-half minutes to boost Preston’s play-off push.
Rangers, who were top of the table in October, have now lost nine of their past 10 matches and all but one of their seven since Gareth Ainsworth took over as boss.
Their latest loss, and Huddersfield’s win at Watford, means Ainsworth’s team are now one place above the relegation zone – and only outside it by virtue of Reading’s recent six-point deduction.
Not even the return of key players such as Chris Willock and Ilias Chair has halted a slide which looks increasingly like sending QPR into the third tier – 30 years after they finished fifth in the inaugural Premier League.
They are just one point above Reading and only bottom side Wigan have a worse goal difference than the R’s.
Both teams had chances to score during the first half at Loftus Road.
After Alan Browne’s strike hit the post, QPR broke forward on the counter-attack and Willock sent Chair through one-on-one with Preston keeper Freddie Woodman only for the Morocco international to shoot wide.
The visitors missed a similar opportunity, with Troy Parrott shooting wide when through on goal after Leon Balogun had given the ball away.
There was another scare for Rangers before the interval when they failed to deal with Robbie Brady’s corner and keeper Seny Dieng managed to keep out Jordan Storey’s far-post header.
But Dieng was unable to stop Cannon scoring twice in quick succession either side of the hour mark to condemn QPR to another defeat.
The opening goal, scored on 59 minutes, was a near-post header across Dieng and into the far corner from Brady’s cross.
And the second – Cannon’s sixth goal in five matches – came after he was teed up by Parrott’s flick, with the defensive shortcomings which have plagued QPR’s season evident once again.
Centre-backs Balogun and Jimmy Dunne both went for the ball but failed to reach it and Cannon nipped in to finish coolly.
QPR: Dieng; Dickie, Balogun, Dunne; Laird (Adomah 67), Field, Johansen (Amos 74), Paal (Lowe 67); Willock, Chair, Dykes (Martin 80).
Subs not used: Archer, Dozzell, Richards.
08/04/2023 @ 8:32 pm
Yes Michael – why had I forgotten Armstrong? then theres all the others out on loan.
08/04/2023 @ 2:47 pm
Sadly Dykes is not a goal scorer, the stats don’t lie. Martin is slow, Armstrong should have starting as he terrifies defenders. We are down now as we can’t score! Can’t see us getting a single point anywhere! Been going since 1962 when we played at the White City and this is as bad a team as I have seen. Field is possibly the exception, he could go anywhere. Better get that map out to find all those strange grounds for next year!
07/04/2023 @ 4:59 pm
well thats it then. Down the plug we go – thanks Les.
07/04/2023 @ 4:52 pm
Why do they stick with Dykes over Martin? – which one is more likely to score.