QPR (2) – Hull City (1) – “James Perch did his Knee & I wanted him to come off & he wouldn’t come off”

Team: Smithies, Bidwell, Baptiste (Wszolek), Onuoha, Perch, Freeman, Luongo, Scowen, LuaLua (Smith), Mackie (Sylla), Washington

Subs Not Used: Ingram, Furlong, Manning, Borysiuk

Attendance: 12,609 (including 829 Hull fans)

Having made hard work of it, I thought we got what we fully deserved. Missed chances in the first-half almost cost us the game.

We need a prolific goalscorer who can also hold the ball up…something we are lacking. Midfield is our real asset, however, disappointed with LuaLua, he can only get better with games.

Smithies seemed somewhat off-form, however, he came up with a wonder save to keep us in it.

A word about their keeper/keepers in general. He rightly got dogs abuse, and was booked, after his persistent time wasting. It’s way overtime that this practice was outlawed. It’s not ‘gamesmanship’, its cheating.

It’s cheating the public out of their hard-earned money and an affront to the beautiful game! Red card them and it will cease overnight.

Jjcolls

Idrissa Sylla netted an injury-time winner as QPR came from behind to beat Hull City at Loftus Road.

Jarrod Bowen had given the Tigers the lead 10 minutes before half-time against the run of play.

QPR substitute Matt Smith levelled from Luke Freeman’s ball in, after Sylla had seen an effort hit the post and cannon behind off Hull keeper Allan McGregor.

Sylla then popped up to finish off after Conor Washington’s shot had looped into his path.

There was still time for Hull to go close to earning a share of the points, but Smith was on hand again as he cleared Michael Hector’s header off the line.

QPR had made most of the early running and Freeman should have put them ahead but fired wide from 10 yards.

Hull made the most of that let-off when Bowen – who had earlier been denied by Alex Smithies – grabbed his second goal in four matches, converting David Meyler’s cross.

Smith’s introduction gave the QPR attack a new focal point and he had already manufactured a couple of headers on goal before finding the net from Luke Freeman’s cross.

Rangers’ winner also came from the direct route, as Smithies, who also brilliantly denied Seb Larsson, launched a ball to Washington, who lofted it over McGregor for Sylla to profit.

Queen’s Park Rangers manager Ian Holloway: “They are in a great place at the moment. That was character. James Perch did his knee and I wanted him to come off and he wouldn’t come off.”

“I should be happy about that but part of me wants to tell him off for not doing as he was told. It shows the spirit we’ve got.”

“They’re learning as a group and I’m loving what they’re doing at the moment. I think our identity’s coming. It won’t be the best looking at times but we’re going to build a name for ourselves for not giving in.”

Hull City boss Leonid Slutsky: “It is very hard for us because we lost players before this game and now we have lost two more.”

“Of course I am very disappointed. It’s a very difficult time for us – a very difficult period.”

“We played with maximum energy and showed willpower, but it is a very difficult time. We will keep on fighting.”

BBC Sport

Wild scenes at Loftus Road on Saturday, but it was a pity that there weren’t more R’s fans in attendance. Frode told me before the game that there were 25 fans over from Norway. Well done to them.

Neither was there a great turnout from the Hull contingent who didn’t even fill the top tier of the School End.

Luke Freeman really should have put us in the lead when he was set up, but he side footed his effort wide of the post.

It was the visitors who got their noses in front when the ball was poked in from close range at the near post.

Ollie’s 2nd half substitutions changed the outcome of the game when he firstly introduced Matt Smith on 57 minutes and then Idrissa Sylla 15 minutes later.

Matty Smith was soon getting his head on the end of some decent crosses.

We all went up in anticipation of an equaliser but Sylla’s shot came off the post and then off McGregor for a corner.

Soon after, Matty Smith buried one with his head after 74 minutes. The game had become lot more open.

At one point three players were grounded, including James Perch. He would normally have gone off but decided to continue because we had used up all our subs. Ollie later said that he should have told him off for not doing so!

The winner came in added time after Washington knocked the ball on to Sylla and he finished from close range. Wild celebrations followed on three sides of the ground, whilst on the pitch Sylla received a booking.

Hull almost equalised during this seven-minute period but for Matty Smith clearing one off the line.

There was a minute’s silence prior to kick-off in memory of the victims of the recent terrorist atrocity in Spain.

We learnt after the game that LuaLua’s father had died on Friday and following that news Keith Davies phoned to tell me that Jim Mellins had passed away!!!!

May they Rest in Peace.

Steve Russell