Smith’s injury-time cracker gives QPR final-day win

Sheff Wed 1 QPR 2

QPR ended a troubled season with Matt Smith volleying in a spectacular winner.

Smith belted home Massimo Luongo’s left-wing cross deep into injury time at Hillsborough.

Michael Hector’s late penalty – the third spot-kick of the game – appeared to have earned Sheffield Wednesday a point.

After Josh Scowen had put Rangers ahead, Fernando Forestieri lifted a penalty well over the bar 10 minutes into the second half and Ebere Eze’s 80th-minute penalty was saved by Owls keeper Kieren Westwood.

Defender Hector, on loan from Chelsea, made no mistake after Ryan Manning was adjudged to have fouled Marco Matias on the right-hand side of the penalty area with six minutes remaining.

Rangers had even more reason to feel aggrieved about the first penalty, which Forestieri made a mess of after bizarrely being adjudged to have been brought down by Toni Leistner as he slid in to connect with Steven Fletcher’s pass.

Scowen had started the move which led to Rangers’ 28th-minute opener, applying the finish after Darnell Furlong had pulled the ball back from the right.

Eze’s penalty, awarded for a foul by on Bright Osayi-Samuel by Tom Lees, was pushed on to the post by Westwood shortly before Hector equalised.

And with seconds remaining, Smith clinched an away win for Rangers in fine style.