QPR not safe after defeat at Bristol City

Bristol City 2 QPR 1

QPR suffered a fourth consecutive defeat and are still not entirely safe from relegation.

Bristol City started the day one place above the drop zone and their deserved win moved them to within three points of Rangers, who pulled a goal back in injury time courtesy of Idrissa Sylla’s ninth goal of the season.

First-half goals from Marlon Pack and Jamie Paterson put City in the driving seat and the visitors rarely looked like mounting a comeback.

QPR went behind when they failed to deal with a 14th-minute corner and Taylor flicked the ball towards Pack, who fired past keeper Alex Smithies from near the penalty spot.

The impressive Pack was involved in the second goal, scored five minutes before half-time.

City broke, Rangers’ defence disintegrated, and Pack found Taylor whose clever pass sent Paterson through to apply the finish.

Rangers’ consolation goal came when Conor Washington hooked the ball towards fellow substitute Sylla, who finished from close range.

R’s boss Ian Holloway again shuffled the pack, this time making five changes.

Jake Bidwell was back in for Jack Robinson, Luke Freeman was restored to the starting line-up to face his former club, and there were also recalls for Yeni Ngbakoto, Darnell Furlong and Pawel Wszolek.

After disjointed Rangers spent most of the opening half an hour on the back foot, they finally got going as Freeman began to find space.

Freeman steered an effort over the bar and then combined with Wszolek to set up Ryan Manning, who also shot over.

However, as Rangers pushed forward and appeared to be growing in confidence, they were caught out by a slick City move for the second goal.

Holloway brought Washington on at half-time in place of Furlong and the striker quickly made an impact, showing good skill on the left to tee up Ngbakoto, who was denied by an excellent near-post save from keeper Frank Fielding.

Washington, now without a goal in his last eight appearances, then went close to scoring when he collected Manning’s pass and fired into the side netting.

But Rangers then faded and would have conceded a third goal had Smith not cleared Aden Flint’s header off the line.