Stephan refuses to publicly blame Mbengue after shocking QPR defeat

Julien Stephan refused to publicly blame Amadou Mbengue after QPR’s astonishing 3-2 defeat at home to Wrexham.

Steve Cook’s late goal appeared to have secured the points for the hosts.

But after Rangers defender Mbengue was sent off in stoppage time, the visitors scored twice in the space of a minute.

Stephan admitted Mbengue’s dismissal was a pivotal moment, but refused to directly blame him.

The often over-zealous Mbengue was already on a yellow card – his 10th of the season – when he rashly fouled George Thomason.

“To finish the game with 10 players in the last minute had a huge impact, I think, at the end of the game,” said the R’s head coach.

“But I don’t want to analyse the game only of the last five or six minutes. We need to have a full analysis of the game.”

Stephan felt his side’s failure to score a second goal during a first half they largely dominated was another major factor in the defeat.

“We were very dominant in the first half and with more efficiency it (would have been) 2-0 for us,” he said.

“With another goal in the first half it could have been a different second half. That’s why we need to have a full analysis of the game.

“We found a way to score a second goal and the game was under control at that moment. And yes, the last four or five minutes we know what happened.

“With one less player, Wrexham’s physicality – and we know their physicality and wanted to reduce the number of their crosses, which we did very well – but with fatigue in the last five minutes and one player less, it was not possible to continue to press.”

Meanwhile, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said his side “smelt blood” during the closing stages.