Injury-plagued QPR close to safety after vital win at Oxford

Oxford 1
Mills (62′)

QPR 3
Edwards (7′)
Romeny (OG, 42′)
Min-hyeok (90’+1)

QPR won the six-pointer they badly needed to and moved to the verge of Championship safety.

The R’s, beaten in their previous six away matches and playing without a recognised striker, were two up at half-time.

Ronnie Edwards’ early goal gave them the perfect start and an own goal by Ole Romeny put the visitors in control.

Stanley Mills pulled a goal back for the hosts in the second half, and Sam Field and Kenneth Paal both had to be taken off, but injury-plagued Rangers defended well and Yang Min-hyeok’s stoppage-time goal sealed three priceless points.

The victory – their first in eight matches – took them seven points clear of the relegation zone, on 49 points – one short of the 50-mark regarded as usually being enough to avoid the drop.

Failing to beat at least one of fellow strugglers Cardiff and Oxford would have left them in real trouble, but four points from the two vital games has given them breathing space with five matches of the season remaining.

They went ahead when keeper Jamie Cumming fumbled Edwards’ header from Nicolas Madsen’s left-wing corner.

A Madsen corner from the opposite flank was volleyed over by Jimmy Dunne, and 18-year-old Australian winger Daniel Bennie, making his full debut – as a centre-forward because of Rangers’ lack of options up front – had an effort saved by Cumming before the lead was doubled.

Edwards’ long ball was headed by Dunne towards Field, whose attempt to bundle home from close range ricocheted in off Romeny.

It was a great night for QPR – but did not pass without their injury curse striking yet again.

Field, recently back after an ankle injury, was outstanding in a more attacking role than usual but limped off just after the hour mark having fallen awkwardly following an aerial challenge involving Hidde ter Avest, who also went off.

With Rangers down to 10 men while preparing Min-hyeok to come on as Field’s replacement, Siriki Dembélé hooked in a cross from the left and Mills – who had just come on for ter Avest – headed past keeper Paul Nardi.

There was another QPR injury a few minutes later, when Paal went off clutching his hamstring, and Paul Smyth was then hurt and struggled on before eventually being substituted.

As Oxford piled on the pressure, Nardi saved at his near post to deny Rúben Rodrigues and kept out Cameron Brannagan’s low strike.

With their opponents clinging on and 11 minutes of stoppage time signalled, the home fans sensed an equaliser.

But Rangers struck on the break, with on-loan Tottenham youngster Min-hyeok slotting past Cumming after being set up by fellow substitute Karamoko Dembele.

QPR: Nardi, Dunne, Morrison, Edwards, Paal (Fox 69), Colback (Morgan 90’+10), Field (Andersen 64), Varane, Smyth (Dembele 83), Madsen (Ashby 83), Bennie (Min-Hyeok 64)
Subs not used: Walsh, Kolli, Sutton.