QPR 1-2 Huddersfield: Terriers boost promotion hopes

Huddersfield boosted their promotion hopes by beating QPR 2-1 at Loftus Road.

The West Yorkshire side took control with first-half goals from Izzy Brown and Nahki Wells.

Substitute Luke Freeman netted on the hour mark with his first Rangers goal, but the visitors held on for a fourth consecutive league win and their first ever at Loftus Road.

On-loan Chelsea youngster Brown, who also scored against QPR while on loan at Rotherham earlier in the season, struck on 26 minutes. A slick Terriers move culminated in Wells crossing low from the left for Brown to score from close range - the 20-year-old midfielder's fourth goal in six starts since joining Huddersfield.

And the impressive Wells doubled the lead after another fine move 10 minutes later, rifling a right-footed shot into the far corner from right-hand side of the penalty area.

Freeman, recently signed from Bristol City, hauled Rangers back into the game eight minutes after coming off the bench. Huddersfield were unable to clear Kazenga LuaLua's cross from the left and when the ball dropped to Freeman 20 yards out, he fired home.

QPR were very much second best up to that point, although Conor Washington had almost given them an early lead. After some neat Rangers link-up play, Grant Hall slipped the ball through to Washington, whose shot was tipped on to the post by keeper Danny Ward.

Recent signing Matt Smith, making his full debut for the Hoops, sent a volley well over the bar and headed straight at Ward from Ryan Manning's left-wing corner during a decent first-half spell for the home side.

Manning volleyed wide shortly before excellent passing and movement led to the opening goal.

The second was even better, with Huddersfield calmly moving the ball from one end of the pitch to the other - to cheers from their travelling fans - before Wells applied the emphatic finish.

With his team showing no sign of improvement in the early stages of the second half, Rangers boss Ian Holloway made a double substitution, sending on Freeman and LuaLua.

The change quickly paid off, with on-loan Brighton winger LuaLua creating an opening and Freeman taking full advantage.

Rangers would have followed that up with an equaliser but for a brilliant save from Ward, who denied Smith at point-blank range after the target man had been set up by Washington.

And Holloway's side appealed in vain for an 89th-minute penalty after Smith's header appeared to strike Michael Hefele's hand. Seven minutes of injury time increased the tension for Huddersfield fans, but David Wagner's team stood firm.

QPR boss Ian Holloway:

We've probably got to win five or six games, so we've got a big margin for error. I saw enough out there to convince me that we are a good group. I couldn't be more proud of them. We're disappointed to lose again, but if we keep playing like that'll we'll be fine.

"We created three or four chances before they scored. We let the first goal in almost out of nothing and then, before you know it, it's two. We had a mountain to climb but I was delighted with the lads' effort.

Huddersfield boss David Wagner:

"We have to be honest; we were not at our best and I think we were lucky today. QPR were very good. They were very aggressive, created on the wings and our keeper Danny Ward was by miles the best player on the pitch, which I think says everything.

"We got three lucky points, but three points are three points and we are so happy to have got them. We should not forget also that we scored two wonderful goals and created other opportunities as well.

"But in my opinion QPR deserved more than they got. It doesn't change that we have got three three points, though."