Chances go begging for QPR as Chaplin fires Ipswich to 1-0 win at Loftus Road

QPR 0-1 Ipswich

A lack of cutting edge in front of goal cost QPR as Ipswich extended their perfect start in the league with a 1-0 win at Loftus Road.

Ipswich striker Conor Chaplin fired in the winner with 15 minutes to go after he seemed to initially lose his footing while turning in the QPR penalty area, before regaining his balance and placing a shot past Asmir Begovic from close range.

In QPR’s first home league game of the season, Gareth Ainsworth kept his side unchanged from last weekend’s 2-1 win away at Cardiff and had hoped his side could continue to put their 4-0 opening day drubbing by Watford behind them.

While Ipswich dominated possession throughout the game, the R’s created the better chances in the first half.

The Hoops’ first real effort on goal came in the 13th minute, when a mistake in possession from Ipswich right-back Janoi Donacien gifted the ball to QPR striker Sinclair Armstrong on the edge of the box, before he unleashed a shot which somehow hit the inside of both posts without crossing the line.

Just after the restart, Osman Kakay failed to convert when the ball fell to him inside the six-yard box with Ipswich keeper Vaclav Hladky out of the equation. Ipswich missed a gilt-edged chance of their own in the 66th minute, with Conor Chaplin firing over from inside the QPR box.

Moroccan international Ilias Chair almost lobbed Hladky from just inside the Ipswich half with five minutes remaining, with the away keeper scrambling back to tip the ball over his bar.

Armstrong looked lively up front throughout the game but came off with an injury after just over an hour.

However. QPR couldn't find a way past Hladky, with Ipswich having a number of chances in the dying moments as the home side pushed for an equaliser.

LINEUPS

QPR: Begovic; Kayak, Cook, Fox, Paal; Field (Dixon-Bonner 67’), Dozzell (Duke-Mckenna 90’), Willock (Colback 45’), Smyth, Chair; Armstrong (Kolli 65’).

Unused subs: Walsh (GK); Richards, Larkeche, Gubbins, Adomah.

Ipswich Town: Hladky; Donacien (Clarke 38’),Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Luongo, Burns (Jackson 82’), Chaplin (Harness 90’), Broadhead (Hutchinson 82’); Hirst.

Unused subs: Slicker; Evans, Ladapo, Ball, Taylor.

Attendance: 16,790 (3,012 away)