QPR and Bristol City played to a scoreless draw at Loftus road, showing that both new managers have work ahead of them.
City’s first match with Liam Manning was a good but not spectacular start for his new reign after his arrival in Oxford to succeed Nigel Pearson.
Marti Cifuentes, QPR’s new manager will be encouraged by his team’s performance in their first game played at home.
The west London team has now lost 11 games in a row, continues to have trouble creating clear chances, and remains one place off the bottom position of the Championship Table, having only won once at home for more than a decade.
Cifuentes’ first two draws are a good start, given the fact that his team had lost six games in a row, which led to Gareth Ainsworth being sacked. However, Rangers must win soon.
At least they look to be less susceptible to defensive mistakes – something that plagued the team during Ainsworth’s turbulent tenure as manager.
QPR’s Lyndon Dykes missed a few chances to score in the opening half. He headed Kenneth Paal’s corner on right-hand side over, and saw a subsequent shot by Matty James blocked.
In vain, the home team also appealed for a penalty after Paul Smyth’s cross hit Zak Vyner’s arm.
After the half, City’s appeals for penalty were waved aside when Paal seemed to have handled the ball while he was challenging Anis Mehmeti.
QPR then applied pressure to City, with Andre Dozzell shooting over the bar and Smyth firing wide after Dykes had found him.
Cifuentes brought on Sinclair Armstrong to replace Dykes, in order to try and break the deadlock. The young striker was a handful for City with his speed and power. He unsuccessfully appealed for a spot-kick after falling in the box when Vyner challenged him.
The Robins, who were without the suspended Ilias chair, had little to offer in the closing stages. Elijah Dixon Bonner, after Taylor Richards set him up, sliced a wide shot.
City threatened in the final minutes, as Mark Sykes caused problems on QPR’s right flank. However, they were lacking an edge at the front, and so the result was a draw.
