QPR stay fourth after goalless draw with Swansea

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QPR
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Swansea
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QPR were unable to extend their winning run, drawing at home to Swansea City in a very forgettable game.

Rangers had won their previous four matches and would have gone third in the Championship table with another victory.

But they remain in a strong position in fourth – four points behind second-placed Blackburn with a game in hand.

Swansea ended the match with 10 men after Flynn Downes was sent off in stoppage time after tangling with Charlie Austin. Both players were booked – and Downes’ was his second yellow card.

Luke Amos went closest to breaking the deadlock when he hit the post just before the hour mark.

The R’s midfielder darted through on the right-hand side of the penalty area and drove the ball low across the goal and against the woodwork.

But Swansea were a threat and veteran goalkeeper David Marshall kept them at bay in the opening stages of the second half.

The Scotland international looks a shrewd short-term signing by Rangers while first-choice keeper Seny Dieng is with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Marshall, making his third appearance since being brought in from Derby, did brilliantly keep out Joe Piroe’s low shot.

Marshall also showed alertness to push away Cyrus Christie’s dangerous cross and Matt Grimes’ follow-up as the Swans put Rangers under a spell of pressure,

While Marshall is filling the void left by Dieng, QPR badly missed the creativity of Ilias Chair, whose Afcon involvement with Morocco has deprived his club of one of their two main creative players.

The other, Chris Williock, caused the visitors problems, but Rangers struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Boss Mark Warburton reacted by adopting a more direct approach, sending striker Lyndon Dykes on to partner Austin up front.

And Dykes missed a great chance late on when he fired straight at keeper Ben Hamer from point-blank range after being set up by Moses Odubajo.

QPR: Marshall; Dickie, Dunne, Barbet; Odubajo, Field, Amos (Dykes 60); Johansen; Wallace (Adomah 60); Willock (Thomas 81); Austin.
Subs not used: Walsh, De Wijs, Dozzell, Ball.