Benayoun strikes again as QPR beat Wigan

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QPR 1 Wigan 0

Rob Green produced a series of saves to ensure a 16th-minute goal by Yossi Benayoun, who was sent off in injury time, was enough to give QPR victory.

Both teams hit the woodwork at Loftus Road, where Benayoun’s simple finish – his second goal in as many matches – rounded off a lovely team move that started with Joey Barton finding Niko Kranjcar on the left.

The Croatian in turn threaded through a pass for Tom Carroll, whose pull-back was cleverly back-heeled by Clint Hill into the path of Benayoun, enabling him to score from close range.

Three points lifted Rangers to third but they remain 10 points behind Premier League-bound Burnley.

In-form Wigan responded strongly to going behind and R’s keeper Green denied James Perch and Nick Powell before keeping out James McClean’s effort after the Wigan man had squirmed away from fellow Irishman Richard Dunne.

McClean then saw another shot stopped by Green and it was soon Nedum Onuoha’s turn to save Rangers, the defender throwing himself into a challenge on James McArthur in the box that had to be perfectly timed, and was.

At the other end, Kranjcar fired straight at keeper Ali Al-Habsi from 20 yards after being teed up by Bobby Zamora.

Wigan remained a threat and McClean had another chance a minute before half-time but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Green was called into action twice more in the opening couple of minutes of the second half, denying McArthur at close range and yet again saving from McClean.

And Wigan went close again when on-loan Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran’s left-wing corner was headed against the bar by Ivan Ramis.

As the visitors seemed to tire, Ravel Morrison was desperately unlucky not to score what would have been his sixth goal since joining QPR on loan from West Ham.

Morrison’s superbly-struck free-kick clattered against the underside of the bar and Zamora’s weak attempt to force home the rebound was blocked on the line by Perch.

Reduced to 10 men after Benayoun picked up a second yellow card following a foul, Rangers again had to rely on Green, who dived to his left to tip away Nicky Maynard’s header in the final seconds.

QPR (4-4-1-1): Green; Hughes, Onuoha, Dunne, Hill, Benayoun, Carroll, Barton (Henry 84), Kranjcar (O’Neil 45); Morrison (Yun 90); Zamora.
Subs not used: Murphy, Simpson, Keane, Hoilett.

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