Struggling QPR slump to another home defeat
QPR’s woeful season continued with another chastening home defeat.
Two goals in the space of four first-half minutes, scored by Riley McGree and Tommy Conway, did much of the damage.
An own goal by Anfernee Dijksteel gave second-from-bottom Rangers hope but Emmanuel Latte Lath and Dan Barlaser netted late on to put the seal on a deserved win for Middlesbrough.
QPR remain without a home win this season and their injury problems continue to worsen – Ilias Chair was substituted at the interval, having picked up what looked like a knee injury.
With the hapless Hevertton Santos playing as a makeshift left-back because of injuries to Kenneth Paal, Morgan Fox, Jake Clarke-Salter and Saturday’s stand-in, Harrison Ashby, Boro looked to exploit what was clearly a weak link.
Santos was replaced at half-time along with Chair, and although Koki Saito then fared better in the role, it was an area Boro continued to attack.
The opening goal came just after the half-hour mark when Ben Doak jinked his way past Santos and set up McGree for a simple near-post finish.
The second goal came via the same flank. This time Luke Ayling played in Finn Azaz, who drifted between Santos and Kieran Morgan and sent in a low cross to tee up Conway.
The hosts responded with a spell of pressure before half-time, with former QPR keeper Sieny Dieng producing a fine save to keep out Zan Celar’s shot and then denying Morgan, Nicolas Madsen and Jonathan Varane in quick succession.
Rangers did find a goal when Jimmy Dunne flicked on Madsen’s corner and Steve Cook at the far post threw himself at the ball, which went in off Dijksteel.
But Latte Lath’s goal crushed any prospect of an R’s comeback.
After McGree hooked the ball forward, Lath got away from Cook and rounded keeper Paul Nardi twice before applying the finish.
And in the final moments, Barlaser curled a superb strike into the bottom corner.
QPR: Nardi, Dunne, Cook, Field, Santos (Smyth 45), Morgan (Kolli 75), Varane (Dixon-Bonner 90), Madsen (Lloyd 85), Chair (Andersen 45), Saito, Celar.
Subs not used Shepperd, Morrison, Aoraha, Bennie.
