QPR (1) – Blackburn Rovers (1) – ‘I thought the Performance was Really Good‚’ – Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Team: Smithies, Perch, Onuoha, Hall, Bidwell, Cousins, Henry, Shodipo, Chery, El Khayati (Sylla), Polter (Washington)

Subs Not Used: Ingram, Caulker, Kakay, Paul, Borysiuk

Attendance: 13,210 (including 598 Rovers fans)

Sam Gallagher’s header earned Blackburn just their second Championship point of the season as they salvaged a draw against Queen’s Park Rangers.

Tjaronn Chery’s sublime 25-yard free kick had given the hosts the lead just past the hour mark at Loftus Road. But Gallagher met Corry Evans’ cross and sent the ball over goalkeeper Alex Smithies reach to bring Rovers level.

QPR striker Idrissa Sylla, was denied late on by Jason Steele as the visitors held on for a share of the points.

An injury to new signing Charlie Mulgrew forced the Blackburn striker off after only 34 minutes in an uneventful opening half.

The match sparked into life when Ben Marshall’s foul allowed Chery the opportunity to curl the ball into the top right-hand corner.

Rovers looked to be heading to their fifth league defeat, but Mulgrew’s replacement Evans scooped the ball into the box and Gallagher rose highest to net his second league goal of the season.

Despite their hard-earned draw, Rovers remain bottom of the Championship and are the only club yet to win a league match.

QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: “I thought the performance was really good. We deserved more, but you have got to put the ball in the net.”

“We created chances with good play, had three one-on-ones and their keeper made some very good saves.”

“Did we deserve more from this game? Yes, big time. But you have to go and earn it. If you think you can stroll through this division, you are wrong. ”

“But we knocked on the door and on a better day would have won 2-1 or 3-1. That is why I am happy with the performance and happy with the players.”

Blackburn manager Owen Coyle: “Our first two games of the season were very poor but from there we have progressively got better with each game.”

“We’ve brought a number of players in and the more you work together, the more you see what type of team you’re going to be.”

“Regardless of how the game went, if we continue to perform consistently like that we will win games and will move up the table.”

“It’s not about a knee-jerk reaction after four or five games. It’s about 46 games and there’s work to be done.”

BBC Sport
brfcA poor Blackburn side arrived at Loftus Road with just one point under their belt. Why did we allow them to close us down so easily? Olamide Shodipo really had a go, but why did it have to be so difficult to penetrate their defence?

So it was a negative Rangers, and Blackburn could well have taken the lead just before half-time, when a powerful header was cleared off the line by Jake Bidwell.

The game opened up in the second-half and yes we did go close but so did the visitors. It took some real quality from Chery’s free kick to open the scoring.

Blackburn equalised with a looping header and I have to say that they had been very close prior to that.

Idrissa Sylla made his debut in the closing stages and he could well have won the match, but for a very good stop by the Rovers keeper with his legs.

Lee Cook was interviewed at half-time and before the game it was good to meet up with Alan and his son Liam from Dundee, Paddington Paul and Eamonn from Dublin etc etc.

Thanks to everyone that bought badges from me in the Crown & Sceptre and also outside the Club shop.

Steve Russell