QUEENS Park Rangers slipped to a third successive defeat – this time at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur and in-form Harry Kane.
Hot off the heels of a loss to North London rivals Arsenal – proceedings played out in remarkably similar circumstances as Spurs triumphed at a sun-bathed Loftus Road.
Billed as a straight shoot-out between Kane and QPR forward Charlie Austin to impress the watching Roy Hodgson, both strikers announced themselves with a bang.
First Kane forced a stunning close range stop from Rob Green before Austin smashed an effort back off Hugo Lloris’ cross-bar, maintaining parity in a close encounter.
Kane did eventually have the ball in the net after former QPR loanee Andros Townsend sent an enticing free-kick into the heart of the area – with Green indecisive, the forward nodded home with ease.
Rangers were denied a penalty when makeshift right-winger Mauricio Isla was caught by Lloris’ trailing leg. Isla incensed as the official Craig Pawson turned down what looked a solid penalty shout.
With QPR starting the second half in sluggish fashion only Christian Eriksen and Townsend will know how they failed to extend the visitors’ advantage – the Dane’s effort crashing back off the post before Townsend placed over from close range.
They did have their second however and it was Kane once more – he beat the fairly appalling attempt at an offside trap and unlike Alexis Sanchez barely a few days earlier he showed great composure to round Green and roll home.
Rangers did halve the deficit against the run of play when Austin’s cross was knocked down by Bobby Zamora and Sandro placed home with the composure of a centre forward.
Somehow Mr Pawson ignored a second and more obvious spot-kick shout when Nabil Bentaleb handled in the area as the home side poured forward looking for the leveller, but they ran out of time as they slipped to another defeat in W12.
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