Queen Park Rangers welcomed Birmingham City to Loftus Road for today’s Championship action and manager Steve McClaren’s side were looking to bring an end to three successive defeats in recent times.
It quickly looked like it was going to be another of those days on a defensive front as the visitors quickly established a 4-0 advantage on the day with Che Adams helping himself to a first half hattrick.
QPR did respond however and in first half stoppage-time, Matt Smith got on the scoresheet and quickly completed a brace with an early second half strike. Late on Cousins added a third to set up a tenser end to the game than many thought was possible.
???? Read more from the #QPR boss after a game of two halves in W12.
▶️https://t.co/KjGPcVVJAI#QPRBIR pic.twitter.com/bS5ERPPnLX
— QPR FC (@QPR) February 9, 2019
It was almost a dream fightback from the squad but Nahki Wells missed his stoppage-time penalty chance and that consigned us to a 4-3 defeat on the day.
Speaking to the BBC following the game, McClaren said of the encounter.
“We’ve got mixed emotions. The first half was very poor and we didn’t dominate their front two or the midfield. In the second half, we got the ball wide and got crosses into the box and put pressure on. Matt Smith was magnificent all afternoon and we almost came away with a point. We’re disappointed, but that is the two faces of QPR. I’ve told the players we need to see the second-half face a lot more. The biggest thing is the reaction. What an effort from the players and we can take it on to the rest of the games this season.”