Queens Park Rangers vs Ipswich Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Loftus Road StadiumAttendance14,584.
Pawel Wszolek, Joel Lynch and Nahki Wells on target at Loftus Road
Wednesday 26 December 2018 18:32, UK
QPR moved within two points of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places with a 3-0 victory at home to bottom side Ipswich.
Rangers scored twice in the space of four first-half minutes at Loftus Road, with Pawel Wszolek netting on the half-hour mark before Joel Lynch headed in a second.
And Nahki Wells sealed a third successive league win with 16 minutes remaining with his fifth goal in his past six matches.
Ipswich had avoided defeat in their last two outings but a 13th defeat of the campaign leaves them seven points adrift of safety.
Visiting goalkeeper Dean Gerken was busy early on, gathering a low shot from Ebere Eze and pushing over a free-kick from Luke Freeman.
Freeman then created a chance for Wells, who mis-hit his shot after the Rangers playmaker had cut the ball back from the left.
QPR keeper Joe Lumley was called into action after 23 minutes, diving to his left to deny Jon Nolan, who had been sent clear down the left by a ricochet after a challenge by Massimo Luongo in midfield.
That was a rare attack by the visitors, who found themselves two down seven minutes later.
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The first came when Rangers burst forward on the counter-attack and Wszolek pounced on the loose ball to score from close range after Gerken was unable to hold Wells' swerving shot. It was the Polish winger's third goal in as many home matches and his sixth of the campaign.
And QPR quickly added a second as Freeman's left-wing free-kick found Lynch to head in.
Lumley was called upon early in the second half, this time to tip away an effort from Ipswich's on-loan Chelsea youngster Trevoh Chalobah.
But Paul Lambert's side never looked like mounting a comeback and Wells' well-taken goal ensured it was another miserable trip to west London for the Tractor Boys.
Substitute Ilias Chair sent in a low cross from the right and on-loan Burnley striker Wells cleverly turned away from Ipswich defender Luke Chambers before firing home.
It is now five defeats in six away games for struggling Ipswich, who have failed to score in all five of those losses.
QPR, on the other hand, have steadily climbed the table to eighth since losing their first four league games under boss Steve McClaren - a run which included a 7-1 hammering at West Brom.
Steve McClaren: "We just said 'don't throw them two good results away; be professional, do your job and keep a clean sheet and we'll always have opportunities.' That's what they did. They were very professional. I'm really pleased with the performance.
They're getting a bit more belief that they can win games, and they should do because with some of the performances and results we've had they should be getting more belief and confidence."
Paul Lambert: "A lot can change very quickly and there's a long way to go. As long as you finish above that line, it doesn't matter where you are.
"Whether we deserved to win this game or not I don't know, but performance-wise we were dominating the ball for long spells. The difference was at both ends. I don't think we did enough in the attacking third and didn't defend as well as we should."
