Team: Smithies, Perch, Onuoha, Hall, Konchesky, Henry (Chery), Luongo, Phillips, Hoilett (Washington), Fer, Polter
Subs Not Used: Lumley, Angella, Hill, Faurlin, Mackie
Attendance: 15,266 (including 1,356 Wolves fans)
James Henry’s deflected effort gave Wolves a deserved point against QPR at Loftus Road in the Championship.
German striker Sebastian Polter had put Rangers ahead after two minutes by heading in Matt Phillip’s free kick.
Henry levelled proceedings just after the break with a strike that deflected off two home defenders before squeezing past goalkeeper Alex Smithies.
Tjaronn Chery should have scored a late home winner, but smashed against the post from Conor Washington’s cross.
The result suits neither side, leaving Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s QPR with only one win in their last nine league matches and Wolves eight points off the play-off positions.
QPR had looked dominant in the first-half, with Polter causing Wolves centre-backs Danny Batth and Ethan-Ebanks Landell all sorts of problems.
But Wolves, without injured attacking duo Michal Zyro and Jordan Graham, brought themselves level after good work from the impressive Rajiv van La Parra set up Henry, whose shot hit both Grant Hall and Nedum Onuoha on its way into the net.
Then midway through the second period, Smithies pulled off a succession of great saves to deny left-back Matt Doherty’s fierce strike and further efforts by Conor Coady and Dave Edwards from the resulting corner.
QPR could have won it late on, but after great work down the left from substitute Washington with his first touches since his move from Peterborough, Chery should have hit the target from eight yards out but it bounced off the post and back out.
QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: “In the first-half I think we needed to score again and make it 2-0. Yes, they were on top of us in the second-half, but in the first-half we caused them a lot of trouble.”
“We also had a really good chance in the last minute to score and make it 2-1. I would have backed Chery every day of the week to score. Nine times out of ten he would score that, but this time he didn’t.”
“The important thing for us is that we keep working hard and keep doing things right. I’m very happy with the performance of my players and the way we slotted together, especially in the first-half.”
Wolves’ head coach Kenny Jackett: “We need a hell of a run to get there (the play-offs), we know that, but it is still open. The top-sides don’t look like dropping points at the moment, but that can change.”
“We don’t need much in terms of players. We don’t need to reconstruct a spirited squad. With the right additions we certainly feel we can climb the table. We don’t feel we’re too far away.”
“There is a gap, but we’re trying to close it. There are some days to go until the transfer deadline and it (signing players) is something we’d like to do.”
BBC Sport
A free kick was awarded to the R’s after 80 seconds. Matty Phillips stepped up and crossed the ball into the centre of the box where Sebastian Polter rose to head the ball in the net.
Rangers had the better of the first-half, but the second goal didn’t come. The pick of the Wolves players for me was Rajiv van La Parra and Paul Konchesky certainly had a hard time.
Alex Smithies once again looked generally comfortable and it was bad luck soon after the interval when James Henry’s equaliser took two deflections before entering the back of the net. The Rangers custodian later made an outstanding save when he went down successfully to his right.
Conor Washington finally came on after 83 minutes when he replaced Junior Hoilett. Although we didn’t see a lot of him, he did enough to make me feel very positive about his potential.
In fact, within 5 minutes he set up Tjaronn Chery, but, with only the keeper to beat, his shot bounced off the post!
Although that could well have won us the game, I have to say that the visitors were the better side in the second-half and deserved the draw.
It was a return to Loftus Road for Kenny Jackett, Joe Gallen and Carl Ikeme.
Following Rangers is also a social occasion of course and there was a good meet-up in the Crown & Sceptre after the game.
Steve Russell