Queens Park Rangers vs Aston Villa. Sky Bet Championship.
Loftus Road StadiumAttendance16,934.
Saturday 18 November 2017 19:10, UK
Albert Adomah scored twice for Aston Villa as they came from behind to beat QPR 2-1 at Loftus Road.
Adomah equalised with a penalty in the final seconds of the first half after Jamie Mackie's 18th-minute goal had put Rangers ahead. And the winger took his goal tally for the season to eight by scoring what turned out to be the winner 13 minutes into the second half. It clinched Villa's fourth victory in six away matches and condemned QPR to a second successive defeat.
Steve Bruce's side fell behind after failing to deal with Luke Freeman's right-wing corner - Matt Smith's header resulted in a scramble which ended with Mackie scoring from a yard out. Villa responded strongly and Adomah missed a great chance to equalise, firing wide of the far post after being put through by on-loan Tottenham youngster Josh Onomah.
Rangers keeper Alex Smithies then produced two excellent saves, keeping out a low shot from Onomah and using his legs to deny the unmarked Keinan Davis.
However, Smithies was unable to rescue his team when Villa were awarded a penalty moments after Adomah's right-footed effort bounced up on to the bar. Jack Robinson was adjudged to have used his hand to block Robert Snodgrass' shot and Adomah confidently tucked away the resulting spot-kick.
During a lively start to the second half, Davis headed narrowly wide and Smith swept a first-time shot from Freeman's left-wing cross just wide of the target as both teams pushed forward in search of second goal.
It was Villa who found it courtesy of a fine finish by Adomah, who drifted away from Alex Baptiste to collect Conor Hourihane's pass and send a low shot beyond Smithies and in off the far post.
Snodgrass missed a great opportunity to double the visitors' lead following an error by Joel Lynch. Instead of clearing his lines, Lynch hesitated in his own penalty and was robbed by Davis, but the R's defender's blushes were spared by Snodgrass blasting the loose ball over the bar. Davis also missed a decent chance when he shot into the side netting from close range.
At the other end, keeper Sam Johnstone kept out a powerful volley from the lively Freeman and Smith fired wide as tiring QPR tried in vain to dig out an equaliser.
Ian Holloway: "I've looked at the handball. It does get to you. Is that deliberate? Did he have time for it to be deliberate? The referee's given it, I think he's wrong and so do my lads. Villa started the second half brighter because they'd got that little tonic. Once we went one behind it was then very tough for us.
"We've got to keep believing, because some of that stuff was excellent - the way we got it to our wing-backs and played down the side. I feel we played well and I'll take that performance. We just need to capitalise on the chances we created. I'm sure we had at least as many as them, if not more."
Steve Bruce: "Albert has added goals to his game, which is great. He's done very well. At the start of the season he wasn't in the team and he didn't moan or groan.
"He got on with it, came into my office and said, 'I'll prove you you wrong'. He trained well, worked hard and when he gets his chance he takes it."
