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QPR end their run of defeats as they share spoils with leaders Leeds United

Writer: By Yann Tear at Loftus RoadBy Yann Tear at Loftus Road

Picture by @YTJourno
Picture by @YTJourno

QPR (2) 2 Saito 16, Cook 30

Leeds United (1) 2 Fox og 40 Bogle 51


The Hoops brought their morale-sapping run of four straight defeats to an end but missed out on a win against the Championship league leaders after surrendering a two-goal lead.


Marti Cifeuntes' team were aiming to inflict a fifth straight defeat for the visitors in W12 and memories of a fantastic 4-0 triumph at Loftus Road at the tail end of last season offered perfect muscle memory.


The Hoops once again made life tough for the Yorkshiremen and grabbed a 2-0 lead after half an hour though Koki Saito and Steve Cook, only to allow Daniel Farke's team back into it before the break before drawing level.


And the match ended on a sour note with goalscorer Saito being red carded in injury time for planting his studs into the calf of Leeds winger Dan James.


Rangers always seem to be able to raise their game against Leeds and their pressing was rewarded when they were gifted the opening goal from a stray pass that fell perfectly for Saito to curl inside the far post from the edge of the area.


It was a third goal of the season for the Japanese winger, but that wasn't to be his most significant stat of the afternoon, given the way it finished for him.


Home fans were unhappy with ref Tim Robinson for his decision but replays showed it was not a great challenge, even if a yellow might have been sufficient punishment.


QPR doubled their lead through Cook, following up from his first goal of the season in the midweek loss at Middlesbrough. The R's skipper was given the freedom of the penalty area to head a Paul Smyth into the net off the far post from 10 yards.


The defending was abject, with Smyth unmolested as he drifted down the right.


Leeds pegged Rangers back before the break when Manor Solomon's stabbed loss cross was touched into his own net by Morgan Fox - though R's defenders claimed offside against Jayden Bogle, who was lurking at the far post.


And it was all square six minutes after the break when a deflected James cross ended with a Solomon shot being saved by Paul Nardi but running loose for Bogle to put away.


Leeds looked in the mood to go on and win it but Rangers recovered enough poise to keep them out.


R's: (4-2-3-1) Nardi - Dunne, Cook (Morrison 74), Fox, Paal - Colback, Edwards - Smyth (Dembele 74), Andersen (Madsen 84), Saito - Frey


Leeds: (4-2-3-1) Meslier - Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo - Tanaka, Rothwell - James, Aaronson (Gnonto h/t), Solomon (Ramazani 84) - Piroe


Attendance: 17,457

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