Queens Park Rangers vs Burton Albion. Sky Bet Championship.
Loftus Road StadiumAttendance12,500.
Saturday 23 September 2017 18:34, UK
QPR maintained their unbeaten home record in the Sky Bet Championship this season with a 0-0 draw against Burton at Loftus Road.
Burton, meanwhile, have lost just one of their last six league games and continue to steady the ship following a poor start to the campaign.
The Brewers defended resolutely throughout and Sean Scannell almost gave them an early lead. Scannell chased Kyle McFadzean's ball over the top, cut inside from the left past Darnell Furlong and then fired against the near post.
It was a rare sight of goal for the visitors, who spent most of the game pinned in their own half. Soon after Scannell hit the woodwork, QPR striker Conor Washington cleverly beat his man and found Jamie Mackie, whose deflected shot from the left-hand side of the penalty area hit the side-netting.
Luke Freeman's left-wing cross then almost resulted in an own goal by Jamie Allen, but keeper Stephen Bywater saved after the ball had bounced off the Burton midfielder. Mackie also sent a first-time effort over the bar following good work on the right flank by the recalled Pawel Wszolek as the hosts continued to search for a goal.
Rangers boss Ian Holloway made a double substitution at half-time in an attempt to give his team some much-needed impetus, bringing recent signing Bright Osayi-Samuel on for his debut along with target man Matt Smith.
But the hosts continued to struggle to create chances, although Lucas Akins blocked a goal-bound volley from Alex Baptiste following Freeman's right-wing corner.
Holloway also sent on another striker in Idrissa Sylla, but Burton dug in and dealt well with the aerial threat of the Belgian and Smith as QPR resorted to pumping the ball forward.
Freeman was Rangers' liveliest player and saw a free-kick held by Bywater before sending a powerful left-footed strike wide of the target.
Bywater also gathered a deflected shot from Washington with a couple of minutes of the game remaining. And, in injury time, Sylla blasted over from near the edge of the penalty area after another Freeman corner.
Ian Holloway: "It was the worst first-half performance I've seen. We played into their hands. We're notoriously rubbish at QPR at beating anyone we're expected to beat.
"I made what I thought were positive changes. Did it work? Nearly. We pinned them in during the second half and had more and more chances. I'm pleased with the clean sheet - we could easily have slipped up. They could have counter-attacked with the pace they've got. I'm happy with the boys. We kept trying. It's not always going to be pretty."
Nigel Clough: "Over the course of the game it's a fair result. But when the opportunities are there, whether it's in the first five or 10 minutes or whenever it is in a game, you've got to take them. That's what the best teams do.
"It's difficult when you're under pressure like we were in the second half. Therefore, in the first half, when you sense there's a bit of space and time to play, make the most of it. It's still a good point, but if we could have got that goal in the first half then it really gives you something to hang on to and then they might push even more men forward and we can exploit them on the break."
