Chair earns QPR point against promotion-chasers Watford

Queens Park Rangers 1

Watford 1

Ilias Chair rescued a well-earned point for Queens Park Rangers against promotion hopefuls Watford at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this afternoon.

The Moroccan coolly slotted past Ben Foster with 14 minutes remaining after Ben Wilmot had given the Hornets hope of topping the Championship table this evening.

QPR were probably worthy of the point in the end, even though the visitors could have been out of sight after squandering numerous chances in the first half.

Watford took the lead after just three minutes, Wilmot nudging home a Ken Sima cross from the left following a short corner.

In a frenetic start the Hoops were almost level immediately, but Bright Osayi-Samuel’s fierce cross from the right was cleared by Watford skipper Craig Cathcart.

But it was Watford who made the early running and they could have been clear midway through the first period following a succession of chances.

First William Troost-Ekong’s free header went wide from a corner, before Ismaila Sarr’s shot was saved by Seny Dieng.

Andre Gray then met a Kiko Femenia cross from the right but fluffed his kick which trickled agonisingly wide of the left post.

At the other end Yoann Barbet saw a curling effort from a 25-yard free-kick in a central position fly just wide of Foster’s left post, before Dominic Ball’s toe poke from an Osayi-Samuel cross from the left was superbly kept out – pure reactions from Foster.

Then Macauley Bonne inexplicably headed wide at the far post from eight yards when completely free.

Seny Dieng saved from Sarr as the clock ticked towards half-time.

Soon after the restart QPR had a big shout for a penalty waved away by referee Michael Salisbury – one of four of varying degrees of plausibility.

Running away from goal Macauley Bonne looked to have been clipped by Ken Sema, but the referee thought otherwise.

Soon after that Conor Masterson’s header clipped the top of the bar following a free-kick.

At the other end Wilmot saw a header fly wide when he should have doubled his tally for the day, and Nathaniel Chalobah fired over when well placed.

But Rangers got their leveller on 76 through Chair. The Moroccan received a good ball from in the inside left position from substitute Lyndon Dykes and beat Foster for 1-1.

QPR: Dieng, Kane, Wallace (Hamalainen, h/t), Barbet, Bonne (Dykes, 55), Chair, Osayi-Samuel (Adomah, 69), Ball (Willock, 55), Cameron, Carroll, Masterson

Subs: Kelly, Dykes, Willock, Kakay, Hamalainen, Bettache, Kelman, Alfa, Adomah

Referee: Michael Salisbury