Dunne scores late winner for gutsy QPR
Jimmy Dunne scored a 90th-minute winner as QPR came from behind to beat Preston and extend their unbeaten run to seven matches.
Milutin Osmajic took advantage of Steve Cook tumbling to the ground injured and put the visitors ahead midway through the first half.
But Rangers overcame that setback and Rayan Kolli’s third goal in his past four appearances hauled them level.
Preston, themselves unbeaten in their previous six games, were reduced to 10 men late on when Liam Lindsay picked up a second yellow card for an 84th-minute challenge on Kieran Morgan.
And Rangers took advantage, with defender Dunne heading in Ilias Chair’s cross at the far post.
QPR started well and Kenneth Paal had a great chance to put them ahead but fired against the bar after Paul Smyth’s pull-back, while Dunne went close with a header.
However, on 21 minutes, Rangers found themselves a goal down, with their captain taken off with a worrying-looking injury.
Experienced defender Cook, a key player for the R’s, looked set to clear the danger when he went down in agony, which enabled Osmajic to run through and slot home from the edge of the penalty area.
That enraged the home fans who felt Osmajic showed a lack of sportsmanship or that the game should have been stopped.
And there was concern for Cook, who was helped from the pitch after refusing to get on a stretcher.
Rangers would have equalised almost immediately had keeper Freddie Woodman not managed to push away Kolli’s header, and they went close again when Dunne headed wide from Paal’s cross.
They did draw level five minutes into the second half. Smyth exchanged passes with Dunne on the right and pulled the ball back for 19-year-old forward Kolli, who shot through Woodman’s legs.
Sam Field had a chance to put the R’s ahead but fired wide after being found by Morgan’s cross.
Shortly after Lindsay’s dismissal, Rangers hit the woodwork for the second time, with Smyth’s strike thumping against the bar.
They were then denied by a double save from Woodman, who kept out Chair’s shot and Smyth’s attempt to force in the rebound.
But Woodman was unable to prevent Dunne getting the goal his wholehearted performance deserved.
Rangers, Championship a few weeks ago, continue to make progress despite having been hit by injuries to a number of key players.
The returns of playmaker Chair and striker Michael Frey, who came on as a second-half substitutes, was a huge boost, as is a third consecutive home win. But the injury to Cook is a major concern.
QPR: Nardi; Dunne, Cook (Fox 24), Morrison, Paal (Clarke-Salter 90), Field, Varane (Chair 63), Morgan; Smyth (Bennie 90), Saito; Kolli (Frey 63).
Subs not used: Walsh, Andersen, Madsen, Dixon-Bonner.
