Kamara scores late winner for QPR

​Glen Kamara’s late goal gave QPR victory at Loftus Road.

Richard Kone’s 11th-minute header – his fifth goal in four matches – put the hosts ahead before Dom Jefferies’ equaliser.

Rangers endured a largely frustrating second half but their persistence was rewarded in the 80th minute, when midfielder Kamara thumped in his first goal since joining the club on a season-long loan from French side Rennes during the summer.

The win was a much-needed boost for Julien Stephan’s side, who had dropped out of the Championship play-off places after winning just one of their previous four games. This result moved them back up to eighth.

They made a lively start and Kone diverted Jonathan Varane’s volley wide shortly before giving Rangers a deserved lead.

After Daniel Oyegoke prevented Paul Smyth from getting to Kwame Poku’s left-footed cross from the right flank, Boy Kemper intelligently headed the ball towards Kone, who nodded past keeper George Wickens.

Having scored an early goal​, and seeming to be in control, QPR shot themselves in the foot on 29 minutes.

Varane gave away possession just inside his own half, and Freddie Draper played in Jefferies, who calmly dinked the ball over keeper Pierce Charles.

The Imps would then have gone ahead but for a superb goal-line clearance by Kealey Adamson to deny Reeco Hackett, with R’s captain Jimmy Dunne blocking Sonny Bradley’s follow-up.

Harvey Vale​ headed Kemper’s cross wide late in the first half, and Wickens was called into action three times in quick succession early in the second.

After Poku’s shot deflected off Vale, Wickens slipped but was able to make the stop, and then kept out an effort from Kamara shortly before saving with his legs to deny Smyth.

The fit-again Ilias Chair was sent on for Rangers just before the hour mark and fired over, as did Karamoko Dembele, who also came on as a substitute.

The breakthrough came when Chair collected a pass from Koki Saito, made space for himself and cleverly slotted the ball into the box towards Kamara, who took a touch before shooting into the bottom corner of the net.