Wolves’ slice of luck denies Hasselbaink first home win

QPR 1 Wolves 1

J​ames Henry’s fortuitous second-half equaliser denied Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink his first home win as QPR boss.

Sebastian Polter’s fourth goal in five matches – a header from Matt Phillips’ free-kick – put Rangers ahead after only two minutes.

But Wolves levelled two minutes into the second half courtesy of a deflection off both QPR centre-backs.

Henry’s shot struck first Grant Hall and then Nedum Onuoha, wrongfooting keeper Alex Smithies.

Wolves were the better side for much of the second half but Tjaronn Chery missed a golden chance for Rangers late on, when he fired against the post after being teed up by new signing Conor Washington.

It left Hasselbaink still waiting for a victory at Loftus Road, where his team made the perfect start against a Wolves side guilty of shoddy early defending.

Phillips sent in a fine delivery from the left and Ethan Ebanks-Landell allowed German striker Polter to get in front of him and nod the ball into the bottom corner.

Onuoha, on the other hand, had his wits about him a few minutes later when he prevented Rajiv Van La Parra’s dangerous low cross from reaching Adam Le Fondre in the six-yard box.

And James Perch showed similarly quick reactions when he raced across from right-back to deny Henry with a sliding challenge as the Wolves midfielder attempted to latch on to Le Fondre’s pass.

Smithies gathered Dave Edwards’ header from Van La Parra’s free-kick, but Carl Ikeme was the busier keeper in the first half.

Ikeme kept out a header from the impressive Polter and was grateful to see a free-kick from Phillips flash narrowly wide of his left-hand post.

Wolves had a huge slice of luck with their goal after the break, but were then arguably unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Van La Parra’s shot ricocheted against Hall’s arm.

Rangers threatened on occasions in the second half. Ikeme saved from Polter at point-blank range and a Phillips free-kick was headed over by Leroy Fer.

But Wolves were largely on top – not least during a spell in which Smithies produced three saves in quick succession.

He pushed over Matt Doherty’s thumping shot, saved an effort from Conor Coady, and then – best of all – dived to his right to get to Edwards’ header from Kevin McDonald’s right-wing cross.

Washington, signed from Peterborough this week, came on as a late substitute for his debut.

And when the striker found space near the left-hand edge of the penalty area and picked out Chery, the Dutch midfielder should have found the target. ​