MX23RW : Sunday, December 30 22:07:57
Dec 26, 2018 at 3pm UK at ​Loftus Road Stadium (London)
QPRQueens Park Rangers
3-0
IpswichIpswich Town
Wszolek (30'), Lynch (34'), Wells (74')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Result: QPR close in on play-off places after beating Ipswich

Result: QPR close in on play-off places after beating Ipswich
© Reuters
McClaren’s men have turned their season around after their poor start.

QPR moved within two points of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places with a 3-0 victory at home to bottom side Ipswich.

Rangers scored twice in the space of four first-half minutes at Loftus Road, with Pawel Wszolek netting on the half-hour mark before Joel Lynch headed in a second.

And Nahki Wells sealed a third successive league win with 16 minutes remaining with his fifth goal in his past six matches.

Ipswich had avoided defeat in their last two outings but a 13th defeat of the campaign leaves them seven points adrift of safety.

Visiting goalkeeper Dean Gerken was busy early on, gathering a low shot from Ebere Eze and pushing over a free-kick from Luke Freeman.

Freeman then created a chance for Wells, who mis-hit his shot after the Rangers playmaker had cut the ball back from the left.

QPR keeper Joe Lumley was called into action after 23 minutes, diving to his left to deny Jon Nolan, who had been sent clear down the left by a ricochet after a challenge by Massimo Luongo in midfield.

That was a rare attack by the visitors, who found themselves two down seven minutes later.

The first came when Rangers burst forward on the counter-attack and Wszolek pounced on the loose ball to score from close range after Gerken was unable to hold Wells’ swerving shot. It was the Polish winger’s third goal in as many home matches and his sixth of the campaign.

And QPR quickly added a second as Freeman’s left-wing free-kick found Lynch to head in.

Lumley was called upon early in the second half, this time to tip away an effort from Ipswich’s on-loan Chelsea youngster Trevoh Chalobah.

But Paul Lambert’s side never looked like mounting a comeback and Wells’ well-taken goal ensured it was another miserable trip to west London for the Tractor Boys.

Substitute Ilias Chair sent in a low cross from the right and on-loan Burnley striker Wells cleverly turned away from Ipswich defender Luke Chambers before firing home.

It is now five defeats in six away games for struggling Ipswich, who have failed to score in all five of those losses.

QPR, on the other hand, have steadily climbed the table to eighth since losing their first four league games under boss Steve McClaren – a run which included a 7-1 hammering at West Brom.

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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds25156442241851
2Norwich CityNorwich25146547331448
3West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom25137553322146
4Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd25135742281444
5Middlesbrough25119527171042
6Derby CountyDerby2512673731642
7Birmingham CityBirmingham25911537271038
8Queens Park RangersQPR2511593132-138
9Aston Villa2591064738937
10Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2581253527836
11Bristol City259883028235
12Stoke CityStoke2581163029135
13Swansea CitySwansea2596103130133
14Hull City2596103033-333
15Blackburn RoversBlackburn2571083140-931
16Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2587103141-1031
17Preston North EndPreston2578103741-429
18Brentford2569103535027
19Wigan AthleticWigan2575132537-1226
20Millwall2567123039-925
21Bolton WanderersBolton2557131732-1522
22Rotherham UnitedRotherham25410112340-1722
23Reading2548132737-1020
24Ipswich TownIpswich2529141943-2415

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