Chair and Willock lead QPR to impressive 3-1 win over Hull City at Loftus Road

By Christian Mayes at Loftus Road

QPR (3) 3-1 (0) Hull

A stunning first half display with goals from Ilias Chair, Ethan Laird and Chris Willock sealed all three points for QPR, as they followed Saturday’s win against Watford with a 3-0 win against Hull at Loftus Road tonight.

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Special solo efforts from Chair and Willock accompanied a brilliant team goal involving both QPR full backs to ensure victory for the R’s within the first 40 minutes.

The unchanged home XI named by Michael Beale dominated the early exchanges through intense pressing and attacking intent, which they were rewarded for in the 10th minute. Captain Stephan Johansen won the ball in midfield, before laying it off for Morrocan maestro Chair to run at the Hull backline and unleash a stunning curled effort into the top corner from outside the penalty area to put the Rs a goal ahead.

The high-flying visitors, who started the match in 3rd place, were allowed little time to settle ifollowing the early opener, and the Hoops extended their lead five minutes later with a well worked goal.

The ball went wide to full back Kenneth Paal, who crossed in for Manchester United’s on-loan right back Ethan Laird to convert from inside the six-yard box.

The Tigers frequently struggled to beat QPR’s offside trap, but had chances to respond before halftime, most notably when the in-form striker Oscar Estupinan forced a fingertip save from Seny Dieng midway through the first half. Dieng came off his line and unsuccessfully attempted to claim the resulting corner, which was fortuitously headed into the side netting from close range by Hull captain Jacob Greaves.

Willock, who continued his run of scoring in all four of his appearances so far this season, netted in a similar fashion to the opener, when again QPR’s press caught out the visitors before Willock placed a shot into the bottom corner of Matt Ingram’s net after 40 minutes.

Rob Dickie’s under-hit back pass almost gave Hull a route back into the game in first half stoppage time, however Estupinan was unable to take the ball around the onrushing Dieng.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with the home side on the front foot. Scotland international Lyndon Dykes inexplicably failed to extend the lead further after 52 minutes. Hull were caught in possession in their own half yet again, with the ball ricocheting across their six-yard box before falling to Dykes, who had enough time to take a touch, but managed to fire wide from three yards out.

The visitors got a consolation in the 84th minute, with substitute Tyler Smith holding his run to stay offside following a long ball from Regan Slater, before slotting the ball past Dieng.

Up until Smith’s strike, the Hoops had controlled the match in a largely uneventful second half, with the lack of a clean sheet the only disappointment in an otherwise pleasing performance for QPR manager Beale.

A late penalty shout threatened to produce a nervy finish, but the desperate handball appeals from the 1,144 strong away fans were waved away by referee Stephen Martin.

QPR travel to Wales to face Swansea on Saturday in their next league fixture, while Hull leave Loftus Road still searching for their first away win of the season and will look to bounce back against Sheffield United.

LINEUPS

QPR: Dieng; Laird, Dunne, Dickie, Paal; Johansen (Adomah 70’), Field, Dozzell, Chair (Armstrong 81’), Willock (Roberts 53’); Dykes (Kakay 70’).

Unused subs: Archer, Masterson, Balogun.

HULL:

Ingram; Jones, Figueiredo, Greaves; Elder, Christie (Williams 57’), Cannon (Smith 75’), Longman, Slatter; Tetteh, Estupinan.

Unused subs: Baxter, Woods, McLoughlin, Jones, Jacob.

Attendance: 12,716 (1,144 away)