QPR (1) – Huddersfield Town (1)

Team: Green, Onuoha, Hall, Hill, Konchesky, Sandro (Polter), Tozser, Henry, Fer (Chery), Hoilett, Phillips (Emmanuel-Thomas)

Subs Not Used: Smithies, Angella, Faurlin, Luongo

Attendance: 16,662 (including 862 Huddersfield fans)

Huddersfield passed us off the pitch. Admittedly they didn’t create many chances but they had more than us. They also seemed to have a game plan whereas we seemed to be making it up as we went along with no shape and less ideas.

If I supported Huddersfield I’d be gutted as a draw flattered us. It also papered over the huge cracks that seemed to have appeared.

ChrisPTenner
qpr v htfcJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s wait for his first win as QPR boss continues after Nahki Wells snatched a point for Huddersfield with a late free kick.

The Terriers were the brighter side before the break and Wells’ header brought a fine save from Rob Green.

Matt Phillips tested Joe Murphy at the other end before sub Sebastian Polter gave QPR the lead from close range. It looked like it might be enough for the win, but Wells stepped up to find the corner after Joe Lolley was fouled.

The result moved QPR up to 13th, seven points outside the play-off places, with the Terriers in 18th.

Following their Boxing Day win over Preston, Huddersfield head coach David Wagner freshened up his side by making six changes, with Murphy back in goal following Jed Steer’s return to Aston Villa.

Jason Davidson, one of those drafted in by Wagner, fizzed a shot across the face of goal before producing the cross which saw Wells test Green’s agility.

The absence of injured Charlie Austin left QPR short of a cutting edge up front and they offered little in attack in the first-half apart from a couple of off-target Junior Hoilett efforts.

Huddersfield continued to dominate territorially and after Murphy saved superbly from Phillips in a rare Rangers attack, they should have gone in front when Jamie Paterson headed over from Ben Chilwell’s cross.

Hasselbaink bolstered his attack by bringing on Polter, Tjaronn Chery and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and they were rewarded when the former turned the ball home for only his second goal for the club.

Rangers’ midfielder Daniel Tozser fouled Lolley just outside the box and Wells picked his spot from 25 yards for his eighth of the season, and Green had to be alert to deny Sean Scannell and prevent Huddersfield claiming all three points.

QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: “We’re very disappointed. I think the boys just need a win. I’m not really thinking about myself, it’s more for the boys – I want this for them.”

“I can’t fault them, even for the first-half, because they are working hard. We are doing things right. It didn’t look like it in the first-half because we were under the cosh, but Huddersfield didn’t create a chance – all their play was in their half.”

“We had to change the shape and did that, and after that I thought it was a lot better.”

Huddersfield head coach David Wagner: “I think a point was the least we deserved for this performance. The first-half was very good from my team and after that we could have expected more than a point.”

“It may only be one point today, but I am pleased we have shown people what we can do on the pitch. I expect everyone to give 100 per cent when on the pitch and at the moment they are. I have been here for seven weeks now and the players have responded very well.”

BBC Sport

There was a minute’s applause prior to kick-off in memory of Don Howe and also for the Rangers and Huddersfield fans who had sadly passed away throughout the year.

No Charlie Austin and no other striker named in the starting line-up but there were two sitting on the bench! I can only assume that Ale Faurlin (who sat it out on the bench) was rested?

Huddersfield passed and moved with ease whilst we made hard work of it. What exactly was our game plan?

Daniel Tozser didn’t seem to move about very much and there was a terrible moment when Paul Konchesky headed the ball across his own penalty box but managed to get away with it.

After the break the best chance fell to Matty Phillips but their keeper saved his shot from close range. There was a big shout for a penalty when Junior Hoilett had burst through into the box and was kicked in the stomach but the referee wasn’t interested.

However the R’s took the lead after 80 minutes when Seb Polter swept the ball into the net from close range following Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s long throw.

But as we continued through the nervous 80’s, the visitors were awarded a free kick some 25 yards out. Danger man Nahki Wells curled the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to equalise after 86 minutes.

Early days I know but much of what we served up was awful! Looking at the stats after the game, I was not surprised to note that the visitors enjoyed 63% possession and had also achieved more shots on target.

During the interval Johnny Byrne spoke well about his time at the Rangers. Good to see him again.

Steve Russell