Bottom-of-the-table QPR lose at West Ham

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West Ham 2 QPR 0

Bottom of the table and now beaten in all five of their away matches this season, QPR have major problems going into the international break.

Nedum Onuoha’s own goal gave West Ham an early lead and Diafra Sakho’s easy finish in the second half sealed a resounding win for the hosts, who were never seriously tested by a disjointed and thoroughly unimpressive Rangers side.

Onuoha, brought in at the expense of Mauricio Isla at right-back, nudged Stewart Downing’s fifth-minute corner into the net under pressure from Sakho.

And Sakho scored just before the hour mark, adding the finishing touch from a yard out after Rangers had failed to clear their lines and James Tomkins was able to hold off Rio Ferdinand and hook the ball over keeper Rob Green.

Rangers were poor at the back again and after the opening goal they were fortunate not to concede again when Enner Valencia shot wide from 10 yards out after being found by Sakho’s low cross.

Still without the injured Joey Barton, the visitors offered little until Charlie Austin created a chance for himself.

The striker poked the ball through Tomkins’ legs as he collected a pass from R’s left-back Armand Traore, but could not steer his side-footed shot past keeper Adrian – and an unmarked Niko Kranjcar was available to his right.

It was an unhappy return to Upton Park for Ferdinand, Green and Rangers boss Harry Redknapp, who sent another former West Ham man, Bobby Zamora, on at half-time.

Zamora made an immediate impression, finding space on the left and crossing for Austin, who fired wide.

Rangers were unable to maintain their early second-half pressure and more shoddy defending led to them going further behind.

Sam Allardyce’s men then thought they had scored a third when Green inexplicably passed a goal-kick straight to Valencia, who gratefully netted only for the goal to be disallowed because the Hammers striker was not the requisite 10 yards away from the ball.

Kranjcar saw a free-kick saved and Kevin Nolan missed a late chance to make it 3-0 when he shot straight at Green.

QPR (4-2-3-1): Green, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Caulker, Traore, Sandro (Taarabt 66), Henry, Fer, Hoilett (Zamora 45), Kranjcar (Mutch 77), Austin.
Subs not used: McCarthy, Isla, Dunne, Vargas.

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