Queens Park Rangers vs Coventry City. Sky Bet Championship.
Loftus Road Stadium.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between QPR and Coventry at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium as Chris Willock, Michael Rose's own goal and Ilias Chair seal a comfortable win for Rangers
Friday 2 April 2021 18:37, UK
QPR claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory to deepen Coventry's relegation worries in the Sky Bet Championship.
Chris Willock put Rangers ahead after just 75 seconds and there was no way back for the visitors after Michael Rose's own goal midway through the first half.
The lively Ilias Chair sealed their fate by scoring after 68 minutes - his eighth goal of the season.
It capped QPR's fourth win in six matches and the west London side are not entirely out of the running for a play-off place.
Coventry, on the other hand, are in trouble. They have won one of their past seven matches and are just four points clear of third-from-bottom Rotherham - who have three games in hand and a significantly better goal difference.
The Sky Blues were second best throughout at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, where they made the worst possible start.
The opening goal was nicely worked, with Lee Wallace collecting Chair's reverse pass and crossing for Willock to head in off the post.
Rangers totally dominated the game and would have doubled their lead sooner but for Marko Marosi.
The Slovakian goalkeeper kept out Charlie Austin's header from Osman Kakay's cross and Rob Dickie's header from Chair's corner.
Marosi was called into action again when Austin's clever flick set up Chair, whose shot from a tight angle was saved.
However, Marosi could do nothing when Rose attempted to clear Chair's 22nd-minute corner at the near post but headed the ball into the far corner of his own net.
Marosi twice denied Chair again either side of half-time, first after Rose gave the ball away, and later following a fine pass through to the Rangers playmaker from Stefan Johansen.
But when Chair eventually got the goal he deserved, it came courtesy of a fumble by Marosi at his near post.
Again Johansen was the provider and this time Chair darted into the penalty area before trying his luck with a right-footed shot that Marosi allowed to squirm past him.
Coventry were all over the place defensively at times and carried very little threat going forward, even though their opponents eased up after the interval.
It was certainly an afternoon to forget for Rose, whose misery was compounded when he limped off with an injury midway through the second half.
QPR's Mark Warburton: "We were good for long periods and particularly in the first half-an-hour we moved the ball well against a good team. We played with real purpose. The only criticism is that we've got to be more ruthless in front of goal. You're two up against a good team but you should really be out of sight by half-time. We've got to recognise that. We had big chances and need to finish them off. Ilias had three one-on-ones and they're the moments we've got to take.
"In that first half-an-hour we were very good, but you need to get your rewards when you can and then move on from there. But overall it was a very pleasing afternoon's work. We had good headers and crosses coming in and they couldn't get near us. I'm really pleased with the squad and the way the players have been working hard."
Coventry's Mark Robins: "At home we've played some really good stuff. It's just the away stuff we've got to look at. We've got to do something different to try and get wins. It needs a change of mindset. The belief has got to come from within, because we are capable of winning games away from home.
"Something has got to change away from home - the mentality. We've got to look at that and keep working. It's about standing up and being counted. Nothing in life is given to you."
