Half-time: Derby 1 QPR 0

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QPR trail to a John Eustace header after a below-par first-half display against fellow promotion hopefuls Derby County.

A draw would be good enough to take Rangers second in the Championship table but they have been second best for most of the opening period.

They should have gone behind inside a minute, but some brilliant covering defending by Aaron Hughes stopped Patrick Bamford getting a shot away as the on-loan Chelsea striker dallied when clean through.

After a lacklustre opening the R’s briefly looked like settling, with Joey Barton and Tom Carroll looking lively breaking from midfield.

But Derby were playing with far greater tempo and created the better chances.

R’s keeper Rob Green was forced into a fine reaction save to tip over a Clint Hill clearance that smashed against Jake Buxton and looked destined for the top corner.

The pressure told when Green flapped away a Will Hughes corner and Eustace looped the ball into the net.

Andy Johnson had a shot blocked for Rangers but the Rams looked comfortable in defence until the final stages when the visitors finally threatened.

Derby keeper Lee Grant did well to push away a Gary O’Neil header but that was QPR’s only noteworthy chance.

And the hosts could have gone 2-0 up in the final minute of the half when Green almost made a hash of a backpass with Bamford in close attendance.

QPR: Green, Hughes, Dunne, Hill, Assou-Ekotto, Kranjcar, Carroll, Barton, O’Neil, Johnson, Doyle.
Subs: Murphy, Traore, Onuoha, Jenas, Henry, Hoilett, Maiga.

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