With ongoing poor form for Queens Park Rangers, but manager Steve McClaren taking some positives from the way we performed in the narrow FA Cup defeat to Premier League side Watford last Friday evening, it was all eyes back to last night’s Championship clash with West Bromwich Albion.
Welcoming Darren Moore’s high flying promotion hopefuls to Loftus Road, our recent league form and leaky defence left fans understandably concerned, but if we could perform as we did against Watford, we knew we were capable of a positive result.
The visitors made life difficult five minutes into the tie as they took a 1-0 advantage, but Luke Freeman had us level with ten minutes remaining in the half. The visitors found themselves back in front in the 61st minute but with 15 remaining, Tomer Hemed converted our penalty opportunity to tie the game at 2-2.
Arguably we were edging it at that point, at least until we went down to ten men with Luke Freeman’s injury after all substitutions were used, but they reacted and four minutes into stoppage-time they added a third and unfortunately, that was where the game came to a close.
Speaking to the BBC following the game, McClaren said of the match and the far improved showing from earlier in the season.
“It will turn eventually for sure, if we keep performing like we’ve been doing – even in the past five games which haven’t turned out right for us. The 94th minute is not a good minute for this team at the moment. We missed a penalty to equalise 4-4 (against Birmingham City), 94 minutes at Bristol (City) where it should never have been a penalty, and tonight 94 minutes. I thought we were going to hold on and deservedly hold on. The character and fight of the team is not in question. Yes we’re making mistakes and being punished, and we’re not getting the rub of the green and not getting away with a lot, but the character of the team is there.”
🗣 'Football's testing us'
Steve McClaren rued #QPR's luck after more late heartbreak in the @SkyBetChamp.#QPRWBA pic.twitter.com/nsmvgMybLI
— QPR FC (@QPR) February 19, 2019