Cardiff City 0-0 Queens Park Rangers: Rivals settle for Boxing Day point

Cardiff are winless in their last nine league games on Boxing Day since beating Crystal Palace 2-1 in 2012.

Cardiff and Queens Park Rangers settled for a point apiece in a forgettable 0-0 draw in south Wales.

Cardiff, the lowest scorers in the Championship, looked the more likely side to find a winner, but were let down by poor finishing.

Bluebirds striker Kion Etete missed two good chances as he failed to hit the target in a contest where both goalkeepers had an easy evening.

QPR lacked attacking threat but also defended impressively to earn a point.

The Rs drop outside the play-off places on goal difference, level on points with sixth-placed Millwall.

The Bluebirds rise to 20th in the Championship, but remain just two points above the relegation zone with a transfer embargo possibly meaning they will not be able to add to their squad in January.

The possibility of a transfer hiatus means Cardiff boss Mark Hudson needs his players fit and he was boosted with Wales midfielder Rubin Colwill cleared to start just his second league game of the season after injury issues caused by a growth spurt.

Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Critchley made one change to the side that beat Preston 1-0 in his first game in charge, with Robert Dickie replacing Jake Clarke-Salter, who missed out through illness.

It was Colwill who produced the first significant effort of the match, but his free-kick just missed the upright, as did Kenneth Paal's effort at the other end in a first half of few chances.

The Bluebirds might have edged ahead before the interval, but Callum Robinson was inches away from converting Ryan Wintle's dangerous cross, before he also fired over the crossbar in stoppage time and Perry Ng headed wide.

Cardiff should have gone in front on 50 minutes but Etete's finish was a bad as his first touch was sublime as he beautifully controlled a loose ball before firing wide from close range.

Etete again found himself in a great position to score approaching the hour mark, but he fired over as he opted for power over placement after Cedric Kipre's gave him a free sight of goal inside the penalty area.

The visitors hardly had a sniff of goal as they dug deep looking to ensure at least a point, but Lyndon Dykes was not far wide with a header after a rare foray forward by the Rs.

Cardiff substitute Mark Harris might have won it in the last minute of normal time, but he could only watch the ball go wide as he opted not to divert Callum O'Dowda's header at goal.

Cardiff City boss Mark Hudson said:

"I look up not down and there isn't much between the teams at the top and where we are.

"They are a good side, and they came into the game on a high after their 1-0 win at Preston. We went toe-to-toe with them and we're disappointed not to have come away with three points.

"Kion Etete had two good chances and Callum O'Dowda had another right at the end. We just need a bit more belief in front of goal.

"We created the better chances, worked hard, displayed endeavour and togetherness, and showed a willingness to fight. We need to carry that on because we've got two tough games coming up."

QPR manager Neil Critchley said:

"I'm not delighted, just satisfied with a point. I didn't think we were at our best and you can look at the game in two ways: it's either a point gained, or two points missed.

"In the first half I thought we had good control of the game without threatening the goal too many times. It was us deciding what was happening on the pitch.

"You have to give credit to Cardiff for improving their game in the second half, but some of that was down to our poor play.

"It nearly happened, but that was probably the story of our night - it was a nearly performance. I've got an honest group of players and they know there is room for improvement."