QPR beat Wrexham to seal back-to-back wins

Rumarn Burrell joined Queens Park Rangers from Burton Albion in the summer

Queens Park Rangers secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they earned a 3-1 victory over Wrexham at the Stok Cae Ras.

Conor Coady was unfortunate to turn into his own net after the half-hour mark, with summer signing Richard Kone's thumping hit - his third goal in as many matches - putting QPR in control.

Wrexham significantly improved after the restart and pulled a goal back through Wales forward Kieffer Moore on 67 minutes.

But Rumarn Burrell scored his first goal for the club to seal victory for the visitors and bring an end to Wrexham's three-game unbeaten run across all competitions.

Captain James McClean and Ryan Longman both had decent efforts early on as Wrexham carried the greater threat without overly troubling QPR goalkeeper Paul Nardi - who was making his first league start of the season.

The Rs improved though and saw Koki Saito fire straight at Arthur Okonkwo, before skipper Jimmy Dunne rifled beyond Okonkwo from close range after Wrexham failed to clear from a corner - although the effort was ruled out for offside.

But the visitors got their rewards in the 33rd minute as Wrexham again failed to clear their lines, and Burrell's poked effort was saved by Okonkwo, only to rebound into his own net off the legs of the unfortunate Coady.

Kone and Burrell both had efforts to extend the away side's lead either side of Ryan Hardie's effort as the home supporters grew frustrated.

And QPR did double their lead before the break as they carved through the Wrexham defence, before Kone's drilled effort flew into the net via the underside of the crossbar.

A swift improvement was needed by the hosts and they were firmly on top after the restart, although Okonkwo still had to be alert to keep out Jonathan Varane's curling shot.

Hardie, McClean and substitute Sam Smith were among those to go close, but Wrexham did bulge the net as Moore headed Lewis O'Brien's corner beyond Nardi to score in a third consecutive league match for the first time since 2022.

Ryan Longman's goal-bound header was then blocked as Phil Parkinson's men pushed, but they were undone on the counter as Burrell chipped over Okonkwo - with Karamoko Dembele hitting the post late on - as Julien Stephan's side earned a second successive win.

Analysis: Clinical Kone exposes Wrexham's defensive struggles

Wrexham went into the contest having conceded the highest xG in the division. They had also faced more shots than any other team in the Championship.

And their defensive struggles were fully exposed by the pace and guile of QPR's attack.

After Wrexham survived a scare when the offside flag came to their rescue to deny captain Jimmy Dunne a first-half goal, the visitors showed a ruthless nature in attack.

QPR took a 2-0 lead into the break, with the home side's defending in the build-up to Coady's own goal and Kone's rocket leaving little to be desired.

Similar applied in the second half as, from one long ball upfield, Burrell's pace afforded him time and space to chip over Okonkwo - with substitute Dembele hitting the post soon after.

Phil Parkinson's side strengthened their defence during the summer transfer window and did at least keep a clean sheet at Millwall before the international break.

But this was a stark reminder that - despite their impressive attacking output thus far - Wrexham must improve at the back to stand any chance of being competitive this season.

As for the aforementioned Kone, he is wasting no time in repaying the faith shown in him by the Londoners having joined from Wycombe Wanderers in the summer.

The Ivory Coast-born frontman now has three goals in as many matches and linked up superbly with the likes of Burrell and Koki Saito in north Wales.

Following a testing start to the campaign, manager Julien Stephan will certainly have more hope now than he did a month or so ago.

What's next for these teams?

Wrexham make the long trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich City on Saturday, 20 September (15:00 BST).

QPR welcome Stoke City to Loftus Road in the Championship at 12:30 BST on the same day.

What they said

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson:

"I thought we started the game well and then we had a scrappy period with some mistakes on the ball.

"The goal really typified that period. We had to clear our lines quicker and be braver in the key moments to keep the ball out of the net.

"Even after that we had moments to get back in the game, we've had some really good chances to have got something.

"The third goal was just a real killer for us, it knocked the stuffing out of us."

Queens Park Rangers boss Julien Stéphan:

"We used the space behind the defensive line and we created a lot of good movements.

"It was more difficult in the second half but it's impossible to control the game away for 90 minutes.

"I am very happy with the win and we scored three goals for the second time, having scored three goals against Charlton in our last game.

"We are just at the beginning of this process and some of these players have not played in the Championship before."