Queens Park Rangers vs Sunderland. Sky Bet Championship.
Loftus Road StadiumAttendance14,471.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland at Loftus Road as Jack Clarke scored twice after Luke O'Nien's opener to seal victory for the Black Cats.
Tuesday 14 February 2023 23:36, UK
Jack Clarke scored a late brace as Sunderland claimed a 3-0 Championship win at QPR which took them up to sixth in the table as the west London side's dismal run continued.
Luke O'Nien pounced on a mistake by goalkeeper Seny Dieng to score the opener and Anthony Patterson saved Ilias Chair's penalty midway through the second half, before former QPR loanee Clarke's late double sealed another defeat for the hosts at Loftus Road.
QPR are now without a win in 10 matches in all competitions, have won just one of their past 17 and one of their 11 games since Neil Critchley took over as head coach in the wake of Michael Beale's departure.
They were top of the table when they beat Wigan on October 22 but that was their last home win. Their latest defeat - their seventh at home this season - continued their alarming slide towards the relegation zone.
Sunderland - on the other hand - are now in the play-off places and unbeaten in eight away matches.
O'Nein put the visitors ahead after 34 minutes with his first league goal of the season.
Keeper Dieng fumbled Daniel Ballard's header from Alex Pritchard's right-wing corner, twice failing to gather the ball before O'Nien bundled it in from close range.
Dieng had produced two smart saves, keeping out a strike from O'Nien and denying Patrick Roberts.
On-loan Leeds striker Joe Gelhardt also had a chance for the Black Cats before they went ahead, firing into the side netting after QPR defender Jimmy Dunne had misjudged Trai Hume's ball over the top.
At the other end, Jamal Lowe fired wide early on after slick build-up play involving Chair and Sam Field, but Sunderland began to assert themselves after that scare and seemed to be turning the screw before O'Nien netted.
As the hosts pushed for an equaliser after the interval, Chair saw an effort saved by Patterson and Lowe's cross was glanced wide by Chris Martin.
And they were presented with a golden chance to level when Aji Alese was adjudged to have handled Chair's cross while challenging Martin.
Chair attempted to place his resulting spot-kick in the middle of the goal but Patterson, diving to his left, managed to hook the ball away with his foot.
Sunderland almost added a second when Gelhardt turned Roberts' low cross onto the crossbar.
But Clarke made no mistake after 82 minutes, cutting in from the left and tricking his way past Rob Dickie before slotting past Dieng.
And in stoppage time, Dan Neil exchanged passes with Pierre Ekwah on the right and teed up Clarke for a cool finish.
QPR's Neil Critchley:
"I believe in my own ability to get the best out of this group of players. I didn't see a team that wasn't together or fighting tonight. I saw the players having a go. But it's mistakes that are killing us. Sloppy goals are killing us. I didn't see a team that had given up or lacked heart or desire.
"I'd be lying if I said I was enjoying the situation and the run we're on. But you know what you sign up for when you take the job as a manager. It's a tough moment but you have to roll your sleeves up and fight. mIf you ask any coach what they need, it's always time. I know what I want to do and how I want to do it. I have to find a way to get the best out of these players."
Sunderland's Tony Mowbray:
"At the moment the team's looking fine. We've talked about our concern about how small the squad is, but we're doing OK. There are no aspirations at this club to achieve anything - just try to give the young players some game time and see if we can develop them. They're sort of punching above their weight at the moment. The expectation was to finish mid-table - 14th, 15th or 16th - and yet at this moment, we're punching above that.
"But there's nobody putting any pressure on me to keep in the play-off race - just try to play well every game, give the kids some game time and let's see how we go. They finished fifth in League One and scraped up in the play-offs and now they're doing exceptionally well in a much tougher league. They're adapting to the division, embracing it and enjoying it. We've got some really talented players."
