Willock caps off one Hull of a week with stellar performance
IT has been a week to remember for the Willock boys.
Joe Willock completed a £25million move to Newcastle and elder brother Chris chipped in with the goal that sent QPR towards an impressive win at Hull yesterday.
But Rangers still had to battle hard for the victory which left them in the top two as the Tigers wasted a string of chances early in the second half.
A goalline clearance by Rob Dickie made him the key man as QPR frustrated Hull and the defender finally finished them off with the third goal after Lyndon Dykes had fired home.
QPR manager Mark Warburton said: “Rob is a good young centre-half and will get even better throughout the season.
“He showed character and quality on the ball and I was really pleased with him.”
Newly-promoted Hull had started the season with a thumping 4-1 win at Preston – but the opening 45 minutes soon reminded them of the challenge they face in the Championship.
They went behind to Willock’s goal after only 16 minutes, although the striker’s effort should not have found a way past Matt Ingram.
His shot from the edge of area should have been collected comfortably by the keeper, but he allowed it to bounce out of his arms and inside the post.
QPR would have been further ahead by the interval if Dykes, left unmarked on the six-yard line, had generated any power with his header.
George Moncur had fired over earlier for the Tigers, in their only threat until they finally found an attacking menace in the final minutes of a half when the quality of their final ball frustrated striker Josh Mageniss.
And when Keane Lewis-Potter did finally produce a quality cross in the 44th minute, Magennis’ header prompted a fine save from Seny Dieng.
It was a sign of things to come because Rangers were pinned back after the break.
Dieng saved superbly from Keane-Potter and Matt Smith, while Alfie Jones headed narrowly wide before a goalline clearance by Dickie rescued Rangers when Smith finally found a way past the keeper.
QPR made them pay for Hull’s failure to turn pressure into goals when Dykes fired home.
And after Moncur was sent off for a challenge on Dominic Ball on 71 minutes, Dickie claimed his third goal in three games on 74 minutes.
Warburton added: “Hull had a good spell with corners and goalline clearances.
“These were the moments going against us last season.”
Hull boss Grant McCann said: “We gave them a sloppy goal, but we grew into the game.
“If we’d scored at the start of the second-half, we could have gone on to win it.”
Ingram 5; Coyle 6 (Emmanuel
(75th), Jones 5, Greaves 5, Elder 6; Docherty 6; Smallwood 5 (Williams
(73rd) 5); Moncur 5; Longman 5 (Smith
(35th) 6), Magennis 7, Lewis-Potter 6 Dieng 8; Dickie 8, de Wijs 7, Barbet 6; Odubajo 6, Johansen 7 (Thomas 85th), Ball 6, Wallace 6; Willock 7; Chair 6 (Dozzell (59th) 6), Dykes 8 (Kelman 85th)
Rob Dickie
M Donohue