1 min
Queens Park Rangers secured their first Championship victory since the restart as they beat relegation-threatened Middlesbrough 1-0 at the Riverside.
In a tight encounter competitive until the final moments, Jordan Hugill’s brilliant 32nd minute lob and 13th of the season was enough to take all three points back to West London.
It came minutes after the QPR forward had squandered a brilliant one on one opportunity with the resultant goal also seeing an end to Hugill’s afternoon – injuring himself in the process of scoring.
Seven minutes later Ryan Manning’s free-kick almost doubled the advantage but Middlesbrough keeper Dejan Stojanovic saved well as QPR began to play with a growing confidence.
Boro tested the Hoops with some dangerous crosses in the second period but the visitors kept resilient, preventing any clear route to an equaliser.
And with a minute to go, Britt Assombalonga’s penalty claims for a foul by Osman Kakay was waved away to see QPR hold on for a vital win.
Key Points
Check out all the key talking points and reaction from London Football Scene below…
Key Moment
Responding to missing the first big chance, Hugill’s goal was a worthy winner – a perfectly weighted pass from Manning and a sublime lob to match.
Moan of the Match
Joe Lumley was called into action several times in the busy opening exchanges as the Hoops failed to get a hold of possession early on.
Talking Point
Are Queens Park Rangers safe from relegation after this win moved them nine points clear of the drop zone?
Man of the Match
Joe Lumley – a big performance having not played since January, making some key saves in the first 20 minutes whilst keeping his composure at the very end.
Tweet of the Match
Referee Watch
Scott Duncan (Northumberland) – inconsistent for the most-part but hardly surprising given this was just his second Championship match all season following an injury.
Atmosphere
Middlesbrough struggled with the home fans’ sense of urgency and encouragement missing, with the Hoops using it to their advantage.
Verdict
A result that should see QPR all but safe and a massive step in the right direction in terms of performance with the added bonus of an excellent clean sheet.
