QPR's Kenneth Paal has a fine left foot but his curling effort around the wall never has enough whip on it and the ball flies a foot past Ryan Allsop's right-hand post.

The Cardiff keeper was at full-stretch though, just to make sure!

Whistles from the home crowd as QPR defender Jimmy Dunne receives some treatment on the field for a facial injury. Free-kick still to be taken.

City defender Ryan Wintle is into the book after bringing down the marauding Aston Villa loanee Tim Iroegbunum. Free-kick for the Hoops in a good position.

Hurrah! QPR's Chris Willock has the first touch of the ball in the opposition penalty area of the game but he is crowded out as he tries to get a shot off after City clear a Kenneth Paal free-kick.

Chris Willock against Mahlon Romeo is shaping up to be a good battle.

Former Arsenal man Willock earns a corner off the Cardiff right-back. Kenneth Paal's corner is too high but Jimmy Dunne is apoplectic as he feels he was fouled by Romeo. Referee Keith Stroud is unimpressed.

Image source, PA Media

The first half is wearing on and so far most of the Bluebirds' best work has come down the flanks through Mahlon Romeo and Rubin Colwill, while Rangers are looking content to use their pace and trickery on the counter attack.

Chris Willock weaves his way in from the left, side-steps a defender and makes himself room for a shot from just outside the D but his curling effort is well past the upright of the untroubled Ryan Allsop.

Joe Ralls absolutely wallops a bouncing ball from fully 25-yards but the Cardiff skipper's effort is blocked and spins away for a throw. That's a stinger, on an evening like this.

Image source, PA Media

It took a while for most of today's Championship games to really get going, but once they did, they never looked back... hopefully this one will follow the same pattern. The rain is hammering down in South Wales.

Kenneth Paal takes a corner from the QPR right after Rubin Colwill's intervention but swings the ball way over everyone and out for a throw-in. A real waste with the likes of Lyndon Dykes to aim for.

Tim Iroegbunum goes into the book inside four minutes for the visitors after bringing down Mahlon Romeo to end a lung-busting run from the right.

Rubin Colwill swings the resulting free-kick past the angle of post and bar from 20 yards out.

Both sides lining-up in their away kits today, and we are good to go...

Image source, PA Media

City have made two changes with Rubin Colwill coming for his first start since August and Jaden Philogene coming in. Mark Harris and Gavin Whyte make way.

Robert Dickie is back in the QPR line-up with Jake Clarke-Salter absent through illness.

Ilias Chair is on the bench for the Rs after World Cup duty with Morocco.

Cardiff: Allsop, Romeo, Ng, Kipre, O'Dowda, Ralls, Wintle, Rubin Colwill, Robinson, Philogene-Bidace, Etete.

Subs: Sang, Whyte, Simpson, Luthra, Harris, Rinomhota, Nkounkou.

QPR: Dieng, Laird, Dunne, Dickie, Paal, Dozzell, Field, Iroegbunam, Adomah, Dykes, Willock.

Subs: Kakay, Amos, Chair, Roberts, Archer, Masterson, Shodipo.

It's been a tough start to the campaign for Cardiff City.

Steve Morison overhauled the squad in the summer but was given his marching orders after a mediocre start.

Coach Mark Hudson has been put in charge until the end of the season but things have hardly picked up under the former Bluebirds skipper.

The Welsh side are now four without a win and it looks like this campaign will be a battle for second tier survival.

Visitors QPR ended their four-match losing streak with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Preston last time out in Neil Critchley's first game in charge.

They'll go back into the top six with a win today.

• Sheffield United beat Coventry 3-1 to go equal on points with Championship leaders Burnley
• Bottom side Huddersfield scored two late goals to come from behind to overcome Preston
• Hull share the spoils with 10-man Blackpool in a 1-1 draw, while Rotherham and Stoke also finish all square at 2-2
• Middlesbrough added to Wigan's woes, cruising to a 4-1 victory against Kolo Toure's side
• West Bromwich Albion made it six wins in eight games under boss Carlos Corberan as they beat Bristol City 2-0

Image source, Rex Features

• Bottom side Gillingham beaten 1-0 at home by Colchester, who had started the day second bottom.
• Hartlepool win the other battle between the strugglers with a 2-1 success at Rochdale.
• Northampton grab a late leveller against Mansfield after Will Swan had put the home side in front in the 84th minute.
• Carlisle go fourth with a 1-0 win against Bradford City, who have now lost their past four in a row, while Swindon slip to fifth with their 1-1 draw with Walsall.

• Harrogate claim a late win at home to Grimsby after an injury-time own goal from Mariners goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
• Wins for Stockport, Sutton and Tranmere.

Image source, Rex Features

• League leaders Plymouth leave it late to secure a 1-0 win at Cheltenham through Morgan Whittaker's goal.
• Second-placed Ipswich beat Oxford 3-0 and Sheffield Wednesday fight back from 1-0 down to win at Fleetwood.
• Barnsley miss out on the chance to secure a sixth straight win as Accrington battle back to secure a 1-1 draw and Wycombe come from a goal down to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1.
• Dean Holden's first game as Charlton boss ends in a 1-1 draw with Peterborough and MK Dons claim a narrow 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Forest Green in Mark Jackson's first match.
• Cambridge score their first home goals since September as they battle back to beat Shrewsbury 2-1 at lowly Burton hammer Lincoln 3-0 after scoring three first half goals.
• Bottom side Morecambe fall to a 1-0 loss at Port Vale.

West Brom continue their strong form under Carlos Corberan - goals from Matty Phillips and Brandon Thomas-Asante giving them victory at Bristol City.

Rotherham lead twice but Stoke fight back to draw and remain three points ahead of the Millers in the bottom half.

Middlesbrough moved into the top-10 thanks to a hat-trick from Chuba Akpom who now has 12 goals for the season. Ryan Giles was in imperious form for the Teesiders down the left and finished with three assists.

Wigan are four points from safety and only two off the bottom after a second defeat in three games under Kolo Toure.