Goals from Pawel Wszolek, Joel Lynch and Nahki Wells saw QPR to a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Blues at Loftus Road. Wszolek profited from Town mistakes to open the scoring on the half hour, Lynch headed the second on 34 and Wells added the third on 74 as the bottom-of-the-table Blues slipped back to seven points from safety.

Town boss Paul Lambert made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Sheffield United on Saturday with Flynn Downes and Grant Ward coming into the side for Andre Dozzell and Gwion Edwards, who dropped to the bench.

Ward played in the wide right role Edwards occupied against the Blades, while Downes came into the centre of midfield. The home side made one change with Lynch replacing Jordan Cousins, who was among their subs.

QPR struck the game’s first shot, Ebere Eze cutting in from the left and hitting a low effort which Dean Gerken claimed comfortably, while ex-Blues loanee Massimo Luongo was in their midfield.

In the fifth minute Blues skipper Luke Chambers was yellow-carded for colliding with Darnell Furlong just outside the area, the central defender feeling he was the man fouled.

Luke Freeman curled the resultant freekick just under Gerken’s bar and the keeper turned it over with little fanfare.

QPR enjoyed much the greater share of the ball in the opening minutes without threatening further, but on 10 Downes won the ball in midfield and fed Ward, who in turn played it to Jon Nolan to his right. However, the ex-Shrewsbury man’s cross was too long for Downes, who had broken into the box.

Moments later, Ellis Harrison was played on on the left but the Welshman sent the ball in before any of his team-mates had made a run.

But it was still QPR for the most part and they could well have gone in front in the 17th minute. Freeman rode a couple of tackles down the left before cutting back but slightly behind one-time Blues trialist Wells and the ball ricocheted off his heels and away from goal.

The Blues, with owner Marcus Evans watching from the stands, threatened again in the 20th minute when Matthew Pennington flicked a header from a corner on the left towards the far post but no one was able to apply the final touch.

Town’s best passage of play of the half led to a Nolan chance in the 23rd minute. After good work from Sears and Harrison, Downes played a clever ball for Nolan to chase and, with no options in the centre, the midfielder hit a low shot from an angle on the left which QPR keeper Joe Lumley palmed away to safety.

The Blues were beginning to get more into the game and in the 26th minute, shortly after skipper Luke Chambers had been treated for a head injury, Nolan played a delightful ball over the QPR backline for Harrison. The former Bristol Rovers man looped the ball towards goal from a tight angle on the right but just over.

However, right on the half hour the home side took the lead with Town playing a major part in their own downfall.

Nolan tried to play the ball back to his central defenders from wide on the right but only found Wells. The Bermudian brought it forward before hitting a low shot which Gerken could only paw away to his left and Wszolek was the first to react to hammer the rebound home from close range.

Four minutes later, it was 2-0. Freeman sent a freekick over from deep on the left and Lynch got ahead of Pennington to nod to Gerken’s right and into the net of the keeper’s despairing right hand.

The Blues looked to get back into the game after QPR’s quick-fire double. On 37 Pennington headed well over from a corner on the left when he will feel he ought to have done better.

Goalscorer Wszolek was booked for wiping out Nolan in the 43rd minute with neither team going close to adding to the goals before the break.

Having remained resolute in the early part of the half which QPR had dominated, the Blues started to make some headway and created a couple of chances before gifting the home side their opener.

Nolan presumably didn’t see Wells when he made his pass while Gerken will feel he ought to have bundled the ball away from goal if he wasn’t going to keep hold of it.

The second goal two minutes later came from a well-taken freekick but boss Lambert will believe it should have been defended far better.

Town needed a big second half if they were to take anything from the game but it was the home side who started the period brightest, Freeman hitting an early low effort towards the near post which Gerken claimed at the second attempt. On 49 Jordan Spence was booked for a foul on Lynch.

Following a 52nd minute Blues corner, Nolan stabbed the ball out to Trevoh Chalobah, who hit a 20-yard shot which looked goalbound until Lumley got across to palm it wide.

Ten minutes later, Ward was replaced by Jack Lankester having suffered a knock in a challenge moments earlier and been carried to the tunnel on a stretcher.

Town were seeing a lot of the ball and competently passed it around but rarely in dangerous areas and without creating a chance, while QPR were happy enough with their two-goal lead and didn’t looked particularly concerned about adding to it. On 70 Nolan was replaced by Jordan Roberts as the Blues moved to 4-4-1-1, while Ilias Chair took over from Eze for Rangers.

The home side completed what was a victory won at a canter in the 74th minute when sub Chair was somehow allowed to cut the ball back from the byline on the right to Wells, who had time to hit a shot on the turn across Gerken and into the corner of the net.

Having netted their third, QPR loosened the shackles and went looking for a fourth. Wszolek was thwarted by Gerken, then Chambers blocked Wells from the rebound, before Roberts curled a shot just over at the other end.

Rangers sub Bright Osayi-Samuel saw an effort blocked from close range moments after coming on, just prior to the fourth official indicating three additional minutes.

The final whistle confirmed a thoroughly disappointing afternoon for the Blues who had begun to make some headway when they conceded QPR’s two first-half goals, the first of which was seasonally gift-wrapped for Steve McClaren’s side.

In the second half, although Town saw more of the ball and moved the ball around well at times, they rarely did so in dangerous areas and never laid a glove on the visitors who were given another late Christmas present to cement their lead with 16 minutes remaining.

A bad afternoon all round for the Blues with results elsewhere seeing the sides above them move away and the gap to safety stretch back to seven points plus goal difference ahead of a difficult trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

QPR: Lumley, Furlong, Leistner, Lynch, Bidwell, Wszolek, Scowen, Luongo, Freeman (Osayi-Samuel 88), Eze (Chair 70), Wells (Oteh 84). Unused: Ingram, Hall, Cousins, Smith.

Town: Gerken, Spence, Chambers (c), Pennington, Knudsen, Chalobah, Downes, Nolan (Roberts 70), Ward (Lankester 62), Sears, Harrison. Unused: Bialkowski, Edwards, Jackson, Dozzell, Kenlock. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 14,584 (Town: 1,288).

Photo: Pagepix

Bluearmy_81 added 18:31 - Dec 26 Beezer- marked you down for calling him 'Marcus.' Like he's your mate. Like he's not the man killing a once great club.
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algarvefan added 18:31 - Dec 26 And |Breath! It wasn't good I agree but to be totally honest the scoreline was very flattering to QPR. I watched the game and saw some positive things out there today. 4 minutes of utter madness cost us dearly but we have to stop playing some of these players and give others a chance. We don't have a decent keeper at the moment, they both look very poor. Knudsen and Spence are poor ans as for Roberts I would never play him again. A few key signings are required but I thought at times we looked a good side today and for most of the game we competed well with QPR. This window is now crucial but I still believe we are better than where we curently sit in the table. We just need a bit more confidence and stop the stupid mistakes.

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Dissboyitfc added 18:38 - Dec 26 i watched it on the red button, let me tell you this, it was shocking! there were times we were surrounding a single QPR player on the ball and 5 yes 5 of ours could not get anywhere near the ball. we were so poor we made them look world beaters, which they are not! The manner of this defeat really hurts, its made me feel sick... i still care!!!! We are down if this is all we have!!!

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Saxonblue74 added 18:41 - Dec 26 Good to see a few level headed takes on the game today. It was a reasonable performance against an in form team. We had 60% of the play but lost it to 4 mins of madness and poor officiating (at least 1 off side for their 2nd). PL is not just hot air, he has consistently quoted we need "a little help" in jan and not wholesale changes. After all, look what hsppened last time half the squad was replaced!!

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jayessess added 18:42 - Dec 26 Blidestoned - I saw it and the Stoke game and was at Forest and to be honest, saw a pattern. We *can* play the ball neatly through midfield and did today. Unfortunately, there are a number of things we can't do and they're almost the same in every game. Concretely, we can't defend set pieces with any consistency and didn't manage to today. We can't go entire games without conceding at least a couple of decent openings directly from errors and didn't manage to today. Neither of our goalkeepers can perform even at the average level of a Championship goalkeeper for 90 minutes and today's keeper didn't either. Finally, we can't create clear cut chances from promising positions in opposition territory and did not do so today. The result was that we deservedly lost, despite passing neatly through midfield and dominating possession and territory. So, for me, that's all pretty rubbish, especially when it's all the same deficiencies that have been on display week after week.

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herfie added 18:48 - Dec 26 100% effort but 50% quality, resulting in one of the easiest wins QPR are likely to achieve. So disappointing, with the balance between hope and expectation tilting relentlessly towards negative outcomes as each match goes past. Whilst hoping that quality reinforcements arrive in Jan, cannot honestly belueve PL will be able to get sufficient numbers,or improved quality, necessary to give us a fighting chance - even if ME does set the moths free from his wallet. Not giving up caring or hoping; but today was graphic confirmation of how poor a C'ship side we have steadily been allowed to become. Not deliberate neglect; but a series of poor decisions at critical points over the years, with insufficient investment in more recent years degrading our ability to compete in an ever more challenging C'ship environment. At least with PL's appointment there remains a chance.......and all we can do is give him and the team our continued support. But it now has to be given with a large dose of reality regarding the season's likely outcome.

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Saxonblue74 added 18:49 - Dec 26 Our "friends" down the A140 are playing similar pressing, possesion style of football. They too are shipping lots of goals, difference is they are scoring lots too! Please lets buy some creativity and continue to try and entertain......or shut up shop and try for some 1 -0's? We've been there and seem to remember it wasn't too popular??!!
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jayessess added 18:54 - Dec 26 Saxonblue74 - the defence has got to be easier to fix than the attack, surely?
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cat added 18:56 - Dec 26 Did not expect to get anything out of today's game so the level of disappointment is minimal. Stupid mistakes again proved costly and that's the sole reason where are where we are. You can blame Evans, Hurst or Teresa May, but as a leader you can have all the good intentions in the world but it don't count for sh!te if you keep gifting it away.
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Saxonblue74 added 19:02 - Dec 26 Jayessess, you may be right but we could have a defence tighter than Scrooge himself (festive hey?!) and still not win games if we can't score. Personally feel best place to defend is in the opposition half, far more entertaining thzn MM style so many have been calling to move away from. Reallity strikes perhaps?!
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ITFCsince73 added 19:11 - Dec 26 Didn't expect anything from today. BUT as I've said many times, stick with that back 4 the outcome will always be the same. Forget the previous 2 games, nothing's changed we're still in the same position. Spence poor. Jonas poor. Chambo clearly isn't leading and still playing poor. And Freddie still playing on the left?? Freddie may as well not play as totally wasted out there.... which is a shame.

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warktheline added 19:14 - Dec 26 Rhetoric has a short lifespan if physicality aspects fail to materialise, Lambert faces a grim ‘crawl' till end of season, unless Evans delivers respite come early new year! Those calling Lambert a ‘great manager' really need to reconsider their assessment! Go check the ‘managerial stats', it's a ‘mighty job' of ‘rebuilding' and although I'd concur Lambert could ( definitely will ) begin a ‘resurgence' from DIV 1, much ‘choppy uncharted' waters lay ahead , well before August 2019! IF Lambert starts in the ‘poisoned chalice' come August then he'll deserve the ‘reinstated credibility' his managerial career dearly requires!

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Saxonblue74 added 19:14 - Dec 26 ITFCsince73, not sure we have better options for back 4 right now?
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ITFCsince73 added 19:25 - Dec 26 Saxonblue74. How about anyone? Anyone from u18/u23 who plays right back, left back. Sign up me on a free. I'm in my late 40,s. I would perform better than Spence. But then again my Nan would and she's been dead 20yr.
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shakytown added 19:33 - Dec 26 No point in slagging off the players or Lambert. They are trying their best but we simply have to many players ( thanks to the idiot Hurst ) who are just not up to this level of football. Lambert knows this but what would you say to them???? Would you publicly have a go or keep trying to instill confidence as we will still need them know matter who else arrives in January.

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shakytown added 19:33 - Dec 26 No point in slagging off the players or Lambert. They are trying their best but we simply have to many players ( thanks to the idiot Hurst ) who are just not up to this level of football. Lambert knows this but what would you say to them???? Would you publicly have a go or keep trying to instill confidence as we will still need them know matter who else arrives in January.

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Saxonblue74 added 19:34 - Dec 26 Hurst tried the "anyone" strategy when he filled our squad with players with experience from lower leagues. That went really well!
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jayessess added 19:43 - Dec 26 agree with shakytown, we are not going to solve what are in effect 11 problems in 1 transfer window and we'll probably not solve any of them for another month. He's just got to try to build their confidence and pray the defensive concentration we saw against Sheffield United is going to be more representative of our immediate future than what happened today...
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ITFCsince73 added 19:44 - Dec 26 Saxonblue74 I don't put any blame on the new arrivals. It's the waste of space old guard that's the problem with me.
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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 19:47 - Dec 26 Hmmm what happened to close to all positive *GraspingAtStraws.co.uk* LOL??? I mean after some visibly improved performances but STILL unequivocally fortuitous 4 points in the previous games.... tonight this here beyond awesome ITFC fan site has surprisingly (not!) quickly reverted back to all the usual doom, gloom & "we are down already!" Fact no. 1: Look 7-8 or even 9 points from safety is still NOT an insurmountable amount to catch up with, with this many games left & consequently this many points yet to play for! Fact no. 2: As many fans have rightly expressed in recent months, well yes! we are bottom of league (and a good bit from safety point-wise) simply put BECAUSE we *so far* have been the worst team among all 24. Hands Down. Period!

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Saxonblue74 added 19:51 - Dec 26 ITFCsince1973, I agree but that said I really don't believe we have better options right now. The defensive frailties have been around for many seasons now, difference is we no longer have 20+ per season goalscorers to compensate.
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blueboy1981 added 19:56 - Dec 26 We know the frailties of the back four, however, today we constantly, and benevolently, gave the ball away in midfield which led to more pressure than deserved on that back four. It happens all too often. How would any of you feel about continuously being put under unnecessary pressure by such inadequate passing of the ball, and gifting possession to the opposition...... ?? It happens regularly in every game - the defence is constantly under the cosh from such inadequate loss of possession. We don't lose games, we give them away - and can undoubtedly, do much better than that.

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TractorBeezer added 20:00 - Dec 26 Bluearmy I see that you are focussing on what matters. That is our owner's name innit? Paul refers to him as Marcus.
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ITFCsince73 added 20:00 - Dec 26 The back four can't do better than that. That is them. Forget the midfield, don't need many opportunities to break our defence.
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Walk_the_Wark added 20:02 - Dec 26 Enough is enough. Blueboy 1981 you do not run this forum, and you clearly have a mental health problem. We have a fantastic manager who will invest what he is able to and probably wisely. I don't disagree with what's going on higher up, but who can suggest a solution? From what Ive seen Lambert is establishing a system with an incomplete squad, none of which he signed. QPR have better players and are in form. I do believe we will escape, and I very much hope Lambert is the next Burley. The window opens in days...

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