Ten-man QPR are crushed by Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday 3 QPR 0
QPR’s automatic promotion hopes appear to be in tatters after they suffered their fourth away defeat in five and had Richard Dunne sent off.
The Irish centre-back was dismissed in the 33rd minute for bringing down Leon Best inside the box and Chris Maguire converted the penalty.
Rangers made two changes at the break but it failed to lift a flat performance and Best took just six minutes of the second half to double the lead, as he turned a dawdling Nedum Onuoha and drilled past Brian Murphy.
Wednesday’s superiority was underlined on 70 minutes when centre-back Lewis Buxton fired home a half-volley.
It leaves Harry Redknapp’s side 10 points adrift of second-placed Burnley with 10 games to go.
QPR had begun confidently at Hillsborough, monopolising possession but without creating a clear-cut chance.
Karl Henry blazed over while Ravel Morrison’s effort through a pack of players was comfortable for Wednesday keeper Damian Martinez – that turned out to be QPR’s only shot on target until second half injury time.
The momentum turned on Dunne’s foul on Best inside the box. The striker was running through the channel, rather than bearing down on goal, but referee Paul Tierney had no hesitation in producing the red card.
Maguire comfortably scored the penalty to give Wednesday a lead they never looked like surrendering.
They could have doubled the lead before the break, Maguire heading wide before Murphy – deputising in QPR’s goal for the injured Rob Green – made a superb stop to keep out Atdhe Nuhiu’s bullet header.
Redknapp shuffled his pack at the break, bringing on Suk-Young Yun at left-back for his first appearance since August and replacing the disappointing Junior Hoilett with Niko Kranjcar.
But it couldn’t spark Rangers into life and their evening took a further turn for the worse in the opening minutes of the second half, Best leaving Onuoha for dead before converting.
Onuouha attempted to make amends but nodded wide from Joey Barton’s free-kick in a rare chance for QPR.
The staff shortage took its toll on QPR and they were constantly on the back foot, with Nuhiu twice off target before Buxton rubbed further salt into Rangers’ gaping wounds.
Murphy made saves from Caolan Lavery and Jermaine Johnson late on to keep the score down, while Kranjcar had an effort on target in stoppage time.
QPR: Murphy, Onuoha, Dunne, Hill, Hughes, Hoilett (Kranjcar 46), Barton, Henry (Yun 46), O’Neil (Carroll 83), Morrison, Zamora.
Subs not used: Lennox, Keane, Maiga, Benayoun.
Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on Facebook
