Half-time: Aston Villa 2 QPR 1

QPR trail at half-time in the vital match against their fellow strugglers despite Matty Phillips giving them an early lead.

Phillips scored against the run of play when he headed home Bobby Zamora’s seventh-minute cross.

But Christian Benteke equalised three minutes later when he cut in from the left and directed a curling shot beyond keeper Rob Green.

And Benteke struck again shortly after the half-hour mark, sprinting away from Clint Hill and finishing well after Gabby Agbonlahor got the better of Sandro and sent the in-form striker through on goal.

A win for second-from-bottom Rangers would take them above Villa in the table.

But they have struggled to contain Tim Sherwood’s vibrant side and were fortunate not to go further behind when Leandro Bacuna’s cross was headed narrowly wide by Agbonlahor.

QPR: Green, Isla, Onuoha, Caulker, Hill, Phillips, Barton, Sandro, Kranjcar, Zamora, Austin.
Subs: McCarthy, Traore, Hoilett, Henry, Mitchell, Doughty, Grego-Cox.

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