Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Queens Park Rangers: Anis Mehmeti salvages point for Chairboys
- Published
Jason McCarthy also scored an own goal in Wycombe's 2-2 draw with Preston two weeks ago
Teenage substitute Anis Mehmeti's first senior goal rescued a point for Wycombe against QPR.
Rangers had looked set for their first-ever league win at Adams Park after home defender Jason McCarthy put through his own net in the first half.
But the Chairboys squandered the game's best opportunities before 19-year-old Mehmeti fired past Seny Dieng two minutes from time.
Despite Mehmeti's strike, Wycombe slipped to the foot of the table, while QPR remain in 19th place.
Wycombe's top scorer Scott Kashket almost put them ahead in the opening stages, after latching on to Adebayo Akinfenwa's knockdown only to be denied by the legs of Dieng.
However, Ryan Allsop was the busier goalkeeper as QPR settled into the game, palming away Rob Dickie's header and tipping a 30-yard drive from Geoff Cameron behind.
But Allsop was beaten just before the half-hour mark when Ilias Chair whipped a deflected cross to the near post and McCarthy, sliding in to clear the ball, could only bundle it across the line.
Wycombe responded by applying sustained pressure and former Rangers winger David Wheeler tested Dieng again with a header on the stroke of half-time.
The home side should have levelled after the break after Dieng parried a shot from the lively Daryl Horgan, but although the rebound sat up perfectly for Kashket, he somehow headed over with the keeper helpless.
QPR rarely looked likely to score a second, although Niko Hamalainen and Bright Osayi-Samuel both fired over on the counter-attack.
Wycombe finally secured the point their efforts deserved when 19-year-old Mehmeti, who had only been on the field for 10 minutes, cut in from the left and beat Dieng from the edge of the area.
Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"It's one of those days when you're wondering how you didn't get all the points. We've had opportunities to score, with crosses flashing over and Scott (Kashket) with his header as well.
"At this level you must take those chances. Anis Mehmeti came on and took his and I'm really pleased for him.
"The referee didn't do us any favours, with an absolute stonewall penalty that wasn't given - and we scored for QPR, which doesn't feel great either."
QPR boss Mark Warburton:
"We got the goal and we got our noses in front. We dealt with the onslaught fairly well and to give away a goal of that nature is more than frustrating.
"We showed a lack of quality in that final third and we've got to be better. I just wanted the players to keep the football.
"They can't score if we've got the ball. You hope for a scrappy 1-0 but that late goal really hurts us."