‘Top-class’ Kranjcar hailed after QPR draw

QPR assistant manager Kevin Bond hailed Niko Kranjcar after the playmaker’s sublime display in the 2-2 draw at Millwall.

Kranjcar hit the post with a stunning effort and then opened the scoring with his first goal for Rangers prior to setting up Charlie Austin to put the visitors 2-1 up.

The former Tottenham and Portsmouth man, signed on a season-long loan from Dynamo Kiev, has been hugely impressive since returning to England.

But his contribution was not enough to see off the Lions, who rescued a point with Jermaine Easter’s injury-time equaliser.

“Niko is a magnificent footballer. He’s got that top-class quality and can see things,” said Bond.

“We’re delighted he came back to England and it must be a feather in QPR and Harry Redknapp’s cap that he was prepared to come and play in the Championship. We’re very pleased and lucky to have him.”

Bond was less happy about the defensive lapses which twice allowed Millwall back into the game.

Steve Lomas’ side scored after a rare mistake by Richard Dunne and hit back again following Austin’s tidy finish.

Bond said: “From our point of view it is hugely disappointing, having gone in front and then in front again. We had to see the game out and weren’t able to.

“I thought we deserved to win and we should have, although we didn’t create as many chances as we would have liked and Millwall always carried a threat – they always looked like they might get on the end of something.

“I thought we did well and were the better side. But that’s football for you – we couldn’t see the game out.”

Bond and Millwall manager Lomas both played down incidents involving R’s boss Redknapp and first-team coach Joe Jordan.

Jordan was left with a cut eye and his glasses were broken after he was struck by a ball that had been thrown back towards the pitch from the crowd.

Redknapp, meanwhile, was struck by a ball that was thrown by a steward.

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