Championship: QPR v Cardiff

1. QPR: Green; Hill, Perch, Onuoha, Konchesky; Luongo, Henry; Phillips, Chery, Gladwin; Austin.
2. Cardiff: Moore; Peltier, Connolly, Morrison, Malone; Whittingham, Dikgacoi, Ralls, Pilkington; Mason, Revell.

Well, I wish I'd known that before kick-off, Russell. I'd have put a bet on Scott Malone to get the equaliser.

And on that note, I'll say goodbye. Thanks for your company - it was a gripping match to watch with you.

Post-match reaction

Cardiff manager Russell Slade, speaking to Sky Sports:  "We're disappointed we've given away two goals from set plays, but we showed great attitude to get back. I couldn't believe we were two down. 

"Do you know something, though? We went for a walk this morning, and Scott Malone said: 'I always score at Loftus Road.'"

Charlie Austin, there, very much giving the impression that he doesn't expect to be a QPR player beyond September 1. As he says, what will be, will be.

Post-match reaction

QPR striker Charlie Austin, speaking to Sky Sports: "We had chances to make it 3-1, 4-1. But it just shows some of the quality Cardiff have that they can come back."

On his goal:  "They all count. It might not have been the tidiest, but tomorrow in the papers, it will say: Austin goal."

On his future: "I don't know, to be honest. I'm here to play and I'll leave that to my agent and the club. What will be, will be.

"I'm focused on the job in hand. Every player wants to be in the Premier League - I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to play there, but I've got to work hard here."

Post-match reaction

Cardiff goalscorer Scott Malone, speaking to Sky Sports: "There were two good teams out there who are going to challenge for the top six. I think 2-2 is a fair result.

"We had a good pre-season. We've shown we can fight back - we were 1-0 down to Fulham and 2-0 down here. I hope we can push on."

FULL-TIME

A really enjoyable game, that - unless you're a QPR fan, I suspect.

Cardiff are making late equalisers something of a speciality. Last Saturday, Craig Noone scored four minutes from the end to secure a point at home to Fulham. Scott Malone's goal is even later - and better.

Just ignore my entry at 88 minutes, eh?

GOAL - QPR 2-2 Cardiff

Good grief. Where on earth did that come from? Seconds after Jay Emmanuel-Thomas screws wide a golden chance to put QPR 3-1 up, Cardiff find an incredible - and deserved - equaliser.

Scott Malone finds space on the edge of the penalty area, tees himself up and lashes an unstoppable shot into the top corner at Rob Green's near post. Wow.

Cardiff have lost a little of their attacking momentum. Before, they were passing the ball around quickly and stretching the home defence. Now they're lumping it up towards substitute Kenwyne Jones. It's leading nowhere.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas breaks for QPR, and feeds Matt Phillips on the right. Phillips has been involved constantly for Rangers, and probably deserves a goal, but his shot is charged down. The corner comes to nothing, but eats up a few more seconds. Chris Ramsey's side edge a little closer to victory.

At the other end, QPR winger Matt Phillips whizzes a shot over the bar from 25 yards. Six minutes left, and there could well be a late twist here.

Cardiff win a free-kick, and the ball is lifted in high towards Sean Morrison, but there isn't really enough power in the delivery, and the defender's header falls comfortably into keeper Rob Green's hands.

SUBSTITUTION

A couple more substitutions to bring you up to date with - QPR have brought on Jay Emmanuel-Thomas for Ben Gladwin, while Sammy Ameobi has replaced Anthony Pilkington for Cardiff.

It's a great game this. QPR's Matt Phillips races clear after a spell of Cardiff pressure - a little dink will lift the ball over Simon Moore as the keeper goes to ground, but instead the shot is blasted in, and blocked.

Now... another talking point regarding a possible handball. Anthony Pilkington chases on to a through ball for Cardiff and keeper Rob Green hurtles outside his penalty area to intercept - but does he use his hand? Pilkington is convinced it's handball. Green points to his chest and dashes back to goal before anyone can argue.

Cardiff continuing to play patiently, and it all gets a bit too much for Anthony Pilkington who, after watching his team-mates play the ball around, decides to go for goal from 20 yards. The ball thuds into the advertising boards behind Rob Green's goal.

The sun is still bright at Loftus Road, and it's shining into the eyes of the Cardiff defenders. QPR could make something of this.

For now, though, they're content to spray the ball around on the floor, with Matt Philklips getting wide and whizzing in a cross towards Sebastian Polter, who cannot reach it - and is, in any case, offside.

...But Sean Morrison, scorer of Cardiff's goal, crashes into Ben Gladwin and concedes a free-kick. Respite for Rangers.

Under 20 minutes left. Still anyone's game, this. Especially as Cardiff have a corner...

SUBSTITUTION

And with that, Charlie Austin's race is run. He leaves to a standing ovation, to be replaced by Sebastian Polter. Will we see Austin in a QPR shirt again? Not if the various Premier League clubs believed to be chasing him have any say.

Cardiff make an attacking change, sending on winger Craig Noone for Kagisho Dikgacoi.

Goodness me. How on earth has Charlie Austin not made it 3-1? The QPR striker is found 12 yards from goal by Massimo Luongo's pull-back, spins and fires goalwards. Keeper Simon Moore is beaten, but ex-QPR defender Matt Connolly diverts the ball on to the post. Extraordinary.

GOAL - QPR 2-1 Cardiff

Three goals at Loftus Road tonight, and they've all come from corners. This time it's Peter Whittingham's delivery, and Cardiff centre-back Sean Morrison evades the attentions of Clint Hill to power his header over the line. 

Incidentally, Cardiff have had 75% of the possession since half-time, so this game is far from over - especially if they can get a few more corners, as neither side seems to have a clue how to defend against them.

The introduction of Michael Doughty has given QPR a little more security, and they need it, because Cardiff are piling on the pressure... 

A degree of controversy about that second QPR goal. I've had a chance to see several replays now, and Clint Hill does appear to divert the ball towards goal with his left elbow before Austin gets the final touch. 

Referee Simon Hooper is not in a great position to see it, as he's looking through a crowd of players. The goal stands.

GOAL - QPR 2-0 Cardiff

It's happened again. I don't believe it's happened again. QPR absorb a load of Cardiff pressure, then break away to score from a set-piece.

First Matt Phillips has a deflected shot pushed around the post by keeper Simon Moore. From the resulting corner, Clint Hill bundles the ball goalwards - perhaps with an arm - and Charlie Austin turns it in.

SUBSTITUTION

Tjaronn Chery looked useful in the first half, but QPR need a bit more steel here. So Chris Ramsey takes off the winger and brings on Michael Doughty.

QPR defender Nedum Onuoha makes a goal-saving challenge. Cardiff try to pass their way through the massed ranks of home defenders, and Scott Malone looks as if he's found a way through. Just as he is about to shoot, Onuoha whips the ball away. Get that wrong, and it's a penalty. Superb defending.

There's some very neat and tidy passing from Cardiff here. I can imagine they spend ages in training practising that game where you have to pass the ball between each other in a tight space without it being intercepted. Yet QPR's defence, having looked rickety in the first half, is standing a little more solid now.

Cardiff continue to look useful in attack. Scott Malone dinks a cross in towards Joe Mason. QPR defender Clint Hill uses his experience to make sure that: a) Mason doesn't reach the ball, and b) referee Simon Hooper isn't tempted to award a penalty. Mason's facial expression could be summed up in one word: Miffed.

KICK-OFF

No changes to either side at half-time, and we're back under way.

Let's bring you up to date with the rest of today's Championship action. As I mentioned earlier,  Brighton  lead the way with six points tonight, after Tommer Hemed's late penalty gave them a 2-1 victory at  Fulham.  They replace  Birmingham,  who had gone top earlier in the day with a 2-2 draw at  Burnley.

Middlesbrough  join a host of clubs tucked in behind Brighton on four points, having thumped  Bolton  3-0, with Kike scoring twice.  Ipswich  came from a goal behind to beat  Sheffield Wednesday  2-1.

Brentford won 4-2 at Bristol City in a thriller, while Nottingham Forest beat Rotherham 2-1, and Preston won 1-0 at MK Dons. Charlton drew 1-1 at Derby, while Blackburn did the same at Huddersfield.

HALF-TIME

Well, what an odd first half that was. Cardiff were on top for half-an-hour, then threw away a goal and looked a bag of nerves thereafter.

HALF-TIME

The first half ends with some more Cardiff defensive indiscipline, as Lee Peltier nods the ball behind for a corner under absolutely no pressure at all. Referee Simon Hooper blows the half-time whistle to spare Peltier's embarrassment.

Now Matt Phillips hangs a cross from the right for QPR, and Ben Gladwin arrives just beyond the penalty spot. Gladwin's head, however, suddenly turns into a 50 pence piece, and the ball flies more or less back in the direction from whence it came.

Cardiff manager Russell Slade has some work to do with his team at half-time. They've looked tidy going forward, but as flimsy as a poorly-assembled wardrobe at the back.

Rangers playing with much more confidence now. Tarjonn Chery plays a low ball into Matt Phillips, who spins and shoots over the bar. Chery, at the moment, is getting involved in a lot of good attacking stuff for QPR.

Cardiff really are rattled. Matt Phillips swings in a ball from the right towards Charlie Austin, and visiting centre-back Matt Connolly - once of QPR - slices a clearance that whizzes just wide of the far post. So nearly an own goal.

Should be 2-0. Tarjonn Chery delivers a lovely cross from the left, and it just eludes Charlie Austin. Cardiff are rattled.

GOAL - QPR 1-0 Cardiff

And of course, no sooner do I type that than QPR score. Lee Peltier concedes a needless corner from a wayward back pass and, from Matt Phillips' resulting delivery, Clint Hill is unattended to head in at the far post.

Cardiff are pressing and probing, and QPR are being stretched to the limit. Anthony Pilkington fires in a shot from a tight angle, and Rob Green beats it out. It's a save the keeper would be expected to make, but Cardiff's patient football is threatening a goal.

If you're wondering why David Marshall isn't in goal for Cardiff today, by the way, he's completing a three-match ban, having been sent off at Nottingham Forest in the final match of last season.

Charlie Austin isn't getting much change out of Cardiff's defence. Massimo Luongo wafts in a cross that sails over his head and straight through to keeper Simon Moore. Austin will continue to scrap for chances, but he could perhaps be forgiven for feeling a little frustrated in his isolation.

QPR have looked a little disjointed in the opening 25 minutes - the fact that their team contains five summer signings is probably a factor. Cardiff, whose 11 starting players all played for the club last season, look much more coherent. Nothing to show for it so far, though.

Blast from the past

Cardiff's fans have fond memories of facing QPR. In 2003, the Bluebirds beat Rangers 1-0 in the Division Two (now League One) play-off final at the Millennium Stadium, with Andy Campbell scoring the extra-time winner.

Getty Images

Joe Ralls causes problems for QPR with a wonderful cross from the left, and Anthony Pilkington can't make a connection for Cardiff. He probably should have done. The home defence looks wobbly here.

Even though this is only the second week of the Championship season, neither of these sides can go top tonight. Brighton lead the way with six points after winning 2-1 at Fulham this afternoon, and will stay there whatever happens at Loftus Road.

QPR start the match with no points, having lost 2-0 at QPR last Saturday, while Cardiff have one from their 1-1 draw with Fulham.

Cardiff striker Anthony Pilkington gets into a bit of bother by his own corner flag, and clears only with difficulty. Team-mate Lee Peltier is first to the loose ball, then gets clattered by Paul Konchesky. A bit of treatment, though, and the Cardiff defender is back on his feet. On we go.

A scare for QPR, as Anthony Pilkington breaks on to an Alex Revell flick. Keeper Rob Green has to dash to the edge of his penalty area to clear. QPR's defence is playinga high line, and that could be a risky game here.

A good break down the left by Tjaronn Chery, who whips in a cross from the left, and Matt Phillips can't quite reach it. Rangers have started brightly.

It's a glorious summer evening in West London, with the sun beaming down at Loftus Road. Cardiff are in their red change strip - which for the first half of last season, was their home strip.

QPR have had two corners in the opening five minutes, and Dutch winger Tjaronn Chery has sent both of them sailing over the heads of everyone in the penalty area. Back to the drawing board, Tjaronn.

Everton, Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham have all been linked with Austin, who scored 18 goals as QPR were relegated from the Premier League last season. According to head coach Chris Ramsey, though, there have been no firm offers.

KICK-OFF

The headline team news, as we kick off, is that Charlie Austin starts for QPR, despite speculation linking him with a move away.

Team news

QPR: Green; Hill, Perch, Onuoha, Konchesky; Luongo, Henry; Phillips, Chery, Gladwin; Austin.

Cardiff: Moore; Peltier, Connolly, Morrison, Malone; Whittingham, Dikgacoi, Ralls, Pilkington; Mason, Revell.

Good evening! The football action continues in the Championship - we're just about ready to kick off at Loftus Road.