Hoops on a roll now

MARK WARBURTON praised his QPR side’s now customary second-half surge as they overwhelmed Coventry.

Having made the perfect substitution, boss Warburton saw Lyndon Dykes score within 60 seconds of coming on before defender Yoann Barbet (above) made the win more comfortable.

Warburton said: “We could have been behind at half-time. Coventry were the better team in the first half, far more dangerous and they stretched us. We were fortunate to come in with a clean sheet, but we were much better in the second half.

“We’re still nowhere near the right level, so to win that game, keep a clean sheet and not be at your best, the boys deserve enormous credit for that.”

Rangers would have been behind had it not been for keeper Seny Dieng, who parried away early shots from Ian Maatsen and Callum O’hare.

Ilias Chair sent in an almost perfect free-kick that was superbly tipped away by Coventry keeper Simon Moore – but it was his replacement Dykes who made the difference.

Seizing on a nod down from Charlie Austin, Dykes swished his instant shot into the bottom corner after 68 minutes. Eight minutes later, Barbet let fly with a rasping low shot from 25 yards and followed in to bundle home.

Coventry boss Mark Robins said: “It’s been a brilliant start to the season for us, but QPR are a really good team and they were able to change things in the second half because we didn’t score.”

QPR: Dieng 7; Dickie 6, De Wijs 6, Barbet 9; Odubajo 6, Ball 8, Johansen 7, Willock 7, Mccallum 7 (Kakay 85, 6); Chair 8 (Dykes 67, 7); Austin 7 (Dozzell 77, 6).

Subs not used: Archer, Dunne, Thomas, Adomah.

COVENTRY: Moore 8; Dabo 7, Hyam 6, Mcfadzean 7, Salter-clarke 6 (Allen 71, 6), Maatsen 7; Sheaf 6, Hamer 8, O’hare 8; Waghorn 7 (Godden 61, 6), Gyokeres 7 (Walker 61, 6).

Subs not used: Wilson, Rose, Dacosta, Shipley.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Yoann Barbet (QPR): Two stellar first-half blocks were followed by the clinching second goal.

REFEREE: Dean Whitestone 7.