Austin misses penalty as Rangers draw

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QPR 0 West Ham 0

Charlie Austin missed a penalty as QPR failed to get the win they desperately needed.

Austin’s big chance came midway through the first half when Hammers defender James Collins handled in the box as he challenged Bobby Zamora.

However, Adrian kept out the striker’s spot-kick, diving to his right to deny Austin his 18th goal of the season.

Richard Dunne had a goal disallowed in the second half as relegation-threatened Rangers pushed forward.

Results elsewhere did not help their cause, with wins for Hull and Leicester leaving the R’s one off the bottom of the Premier League table, four points from safety with four matches remaining – three of which are away.

QPR keeper Rob Green, playing against his former club, produced a superb second-half save to push Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick over the bar.

Most of the action was at the other end of the pitch, though, and the home side thought they had broken the deadlock on 73 minutes following a corner by Matt Phillips.

Dunne, back in the starting line-up following a knee injury, bundled the ball in after Steven Caulker’s challenge on Adrian.

But Caulker was adjudged to have fouled the Hammers keeper, who later produced a fine save to tip over Phillips’ injury-time effort.

Leroy Fer, also back from a knee injury, came on as a substitute and was unable to take a half-chance when it came, scuffing his shot wide after being found by Nedum Onuoha.

As Rangers attacked they inevitably left themselves open at the back.

And Cheikhou Kouyate missed a late chance for West Ham when he blazed over after being teed up by Enner Valencia.

QPR: Green; Onuoha, Caulker, Hill (Yun 63); Phillips, Barton, Sandro, Henry; Zamora (Fer 67), Austin.
Subs not used: McCarthy, Wright-Phillips, Isla, Kranjcar, Taarabt.

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