QPR sixth after Smyth’s late winner

Bristol City 1
Riis (32′)

QPR 2
Kone (66′)
Smyth (84′)

Paul Smyth’s late winner extended QPR’s excellent run and lifted them to sixth in the Championship table.

Richard Kone’s fine finish after being set up by Harvey Vale cancelled out Emil Riis’ first-half opener.

And Smyth’s header made it four wins from six unbeaten matches for Julien Stephen’s side since August’s 7-1 defeat at Coventry.

Bristol City made the most of some poor Rangers defending to take the lead shortly after the half-hour mark.

Mark Sykes’ over-hit cross from the right was met on the opposite flank by Neto Borges volleying the ball back across towards an unchallenged Riis, who headed past keeper Paul Nardi.

Rangers had looked dangerous – although they did have an early let-off when Sykes missed a sitter by blasting over after being teed up by Scott Twine’s pull-back.

Head coach Julien Stephan made a double substitution midway through the second half, sending Vale and Smyth on in place of Koki Saito and the ineffective Kader Dembele.

Vale made an immediate impact, crossing from the right towards Kone, who took a touch on his thigh and then smashed home his fourth goal in eight Championship matches since joining the R’s during the summer.

And Smyth headed Jimmy Dunne’s cross from the right into the far corner of the net to clinch a brilliant Rangers victory.

QPR: Nardi; Dunne, Cook, Morrison, Esquerdinha; Varane, Madsen; Dembele (Smyth 65), Kone (Kolli 83), Saito (Smyth 65); Burrell (Frey 90’+3).
Subs not used: Hamer, Field, Morgan, Hayden, Adamson.