Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Blackpool: Tangerines get first win at Rangers in 50 years

Josh Bowler scoresImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Josh Bowler's left-footed effort was his second goal in as many games against his former club QPR

Josh Bowler's goal was enough to earn Blackpool their first win at Queens Park Rangers in more than 50 years.

Blackpool's Jerry Yates had an early effort glance off the post while QPR's Lyndon Dykes managed to miss a gilt-edged chance 10 minutes from half-time.

But in first-half stoppage time Bowler lashed in a left-footed effort to put the visitors in front.

The R's pressed for an equaliser after the break but Tyler Roberts and substitute Sinclair Armstrong both had efforts saved by Daniel Grimshaw before Armstrong saw a diving header go over the bar from six yards in the final seconds.

The win - Blackpool's first at Loftus Road since February 1972 - lifts them up into seventh place in the Championship after four matches while QPR drop to 15th.

Roberts had a powerful shot turned away by Grimshaw in the opening couple of minutes as the hosts had the better of the early exchanges.

But Rangers could have been behind had Yates' 11th-minute effort been an inch or two closer. Lewis Fiorini did well to keep the ball in play at the corner flag, and as QPR's defenders stopped, the Manchester City loanee put an excellent ball across the face of the goal which Yates manged to direct goalwards, only for it to glance off the upright and roll away to safety.

Blackpool grew in confidence after the chance but almost got caught out as new signing Ethan Laird broke down the right and found Dykes with a low cross, but his shot was easily saved by Grimshaw.

Dykes seemed to think he was offside as the unmarked Scotland striker's tame effort dribbled into Grimshaw's grasp from 12 yards after Kenny Dougall had been dispossessed by Stefan Johansen on the edge of the area, and it was a miss that would haunt his side.

Bowler broke the deadlock after Fiorini had broken from midfield and found him on the right with the winger cutting in on his left foot and scoring at the second attempt from 15 yards after his first shot had been blocked.

QPR upped the pressure after half-time as Roberts fired a shot straight at Grimshaw while the Blackpool keeper bravely palmed away a dangerous cross from the Wales international after an hour.

Bowler had an effort saved with 24 minutes to go before QPR saw Blackpool skipper Marvin Ekpiteta clear a Laird cross off the line before Armstrong went close.

With QPR chasing the game Blackpool could have got a second - Shayne Lavery shot over when Yates' deflected shot found him unmarked at the far post in stoppage time, while a minute later Theo Corbeanu had an effort saved by Seny Dieng.

There was still time for striker Armstrong to almost earn QPR a point, but his stretching header in the final seconds ended up in the crowd.

QPR manager Mick Beale told BBC Radio London:

"I thought we should have been two or three up before we went in 1-0 down at half time, the goal came at the worst possible time.

"We said if we keep playing and stay calm we'd get more chances, I thought we did get more chances but maybe we were a little bit anxious in some of our approach play.

"It certainly wasn't an effort thing, anyone who was here tonight could see that we were full of running and full of energy. We made positive subs, but it's definitely points dropped for us."

Blackpool manager Michael Appleton told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I think after the disappointment from Saturday, to concede as late as we did and play as well as we did, it was a test for the players to see how well they can handle it.

"I thought we played really well in that first half and really contributed to a decent game of football.

"They'll get better as a group, they'll learn how to deal with being ahead in games and deal with that a little bit better.

"But I've been in their shoes, you want to protect what you've got and hit teams on the counter attack, for as much as you try and stay positive from the side and try and push the team on, you have to give a little respect to the opposition."

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