HULL CITY 0
QPR 3
Willock 16,
IT has been a week to remember for the Willock brothers.
Joe Willock completed a £25million move to Newcastle and older sibling Chris chipped in here with the goal that sent QPR towards an impressive.
Rangers still had to battle hard for the victory which left them in the top two as Hull wasted chances early in the second half.
A goal-line clearance by Rob Dickie made him the key man as QPR frustrated the Tigers – and the defender finally finished them off with the third goal after Lyndon
Dykes had fired home. Rangers 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. When you are 6ft-3in and attacking the ball, it really hard to defend.
“This will be a huge learning curve for Rob. I’m pleased with the result. My players showed great character.”
Newly-promoted Hull had started the season with a thumping 4-1 win at Preston, but the opening 45 minutes reminded them of the challenge they face in the Championship.
They went behind to Willock’s goal on 16 minutes, although the striker’s effort should not have found a way past keeper Matt Ingram.
Willock’s shot from the edge of area should really have been collected comfortably by Ingram, but he allowed it to bounce out of his arms and inside the post.
Rangers were pinned back after the break and Hull carved out four chances in a remarkable five-minute flurry of action.
Seny Dieng saved superbly from Keane Lewispotter and Matt Smith, and Alfie Jones headed narrowly wide before a goal-line clearance by Dickie rescued Rangers when Smith found a way past the keeper.
Hull were made to pay for their failure to turn pressure into goals when Dykes turned in Stefan Johansen’s cross at the end of a shortcorner routine.
And, after George Moncur was sent off for a challenge on Dominic Ball, Dickie added to his goalline heroics by claiming his third goal in three games after being set up by Ball and Lee Wallace.
Disappointed Hull boss Grant Mccann insisted: “If we had scored at the start of the second half then we could have gone on to win the game.”
HULL CITY: Ingram 5; Coyle 6 (Emmanuel 75, 5), Jones 5, Greaves 5 , Elder 6; Docherty 6; Smallwood 5 (Williams 73, 5); Moncur 5; Longman 5 (Smith 35, 6), Magennis 7, Lewis-potter 6.
Unused Subs: Baxter, Eaves, Cannon, Bernard.
QPR: Dieng 8; Dickie 8, de Wijs 7, Barbet 6; Odubajo 6, Johansen 7 (Thomas 85), Ball 6, Wallace 6; Willock 7; Chair 6 (Dozzell 59, 6), Dykes 8 (Kelman 85).
Unused Subs: Archer, Kakay, Dunne, Adomah.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Rob Dickie. A goalline clearance and his third goal in three games were the highlights of a solid show.
REFEREE: Matt Donohue 7.