Smyth scores late equaliser as 10-man QPR come back from two down
Paul Smyth scored a 90th-minute equaliser for 10-man QPR, who came back from two down to rescue a point.
Johnny Kenny’s first goals for Preston – including an opener after 23 seconds - left them in a great position in their first match since the sacking of boss Paul Heckingbottom.
But Kwame Poku pulled a goal back for Rangers midway through the second half and Smyth’s late strike secured a draw.
A run of six defeats from seven games left Preston bottom of the Championship, and this week cost Heckingbottom his job.
But Irish striker Kenny, a recent signing from Celtic, put them in control at Loftus Road, scoring early on and then doubling their lead after Dennis Cirkin had been sent off.
First-team coach Jason Euell, placed in caretaker charge following Heckingbottom’s exit, could not have wished for a better start.
Stan Mills’ long ball should have been routinely dealt with by Jimmy Dunne near the halfway line, but the R’s skipper hesitated, and Kenny robbed him before racing through and slotting past keeper Pierce Charles.
Worse followed for Rangers on the quarter-hour mark, when Cirkin was red-carded after clattering into Leo Leroy.
Andrew Hughes should then have made it 2-0 but headed Alfie Devine’s cross wide of the target when unmarked.
That was a let-off for Rangers, but they were punished for more sloppy defending on 26 minutes.
Mills burst into the box from the right-hand side, Ronnie Edwards and Nicolas Madsen attempted to stop him but got in each other’s way, and Kenny met the resulting loose ball with a low first-time shot into the far corner of the net.
That left QPR battling against the odds, but they did create openings, the first of which came shortly before half-time, when Poku was just unable to connect with Kealey Adamson’s cross.
Rangers continued to attack after the break, and Edwards volleyed wide, substitute Koki Saito also fired wide, and both Madsen and Amadou Mbengue sent shots over the bar.
They were rewarded for their persistence with a goal on 66 minutes – winger Poku’s first for the club.
Dunne was crowded out as he tried to flick on Smyth’s long throw, but Poku skillfully created some space for himself near the edge of the penalty area and thumped a low shot past keeper Daniel Iversen.
Preston then had to cling on, with both teams hitting the woodwork as Rangers searched for an equaliser.
Callum Lang’s header from Andrija Vukčević’s cross hit the top of the bar and, at the other end, Alfie Lloyd hit the bar shortly before being denied by Iversen at point-blank range.
Iversen could do nothing about Smyth’s 20-yard rocket but did produce another fine save in the final seconds, this time to deny Madsen.
QPR: Charles, Mbengue (Smyth 65), Dunne, Edwards, Cirkin, Kamara, Madsen, Varane (Adamson 19), Poku, Scarlett (Saito 46), Burrell (Lloyd 82).
Subs not used: Ward, Clarke-Salter, Morrison, Alemayehu.