Kelly’s heroes on fire
QPR roared on by Lioness star
A SCINTILLATING first half against promotion favourites Middlesbrough was enough to give Rangers their first points of the season.
The Rs raced into a 3-0 lead inside 38 minutes with strikes from Chris Willock, Jimmy Dunne and Lyndon Dykes. But goals from Matt Crooks and Marcus Forss either side of half-time ensured a nervy finish.
QPR were cheered on by England hero and lifelong fan Chloe Kelly, who was given a rousing reception when she brought out the match ball.
Kelly met the squad beforehand and boss Michael Beale said: ‘She said she was more nervous coming in to meet us than she was playing at Wembley the other day. She just said “get me the three points.” We gave her a round of applause and a signed shirt. She’s such a big fan.’
QPR had not managed a shot on target in a disappointing opening defeat by Blackburn last weekend.
But they did not have Willock, who was one of their best players last season before a hamstring injury in March cut his campaign short.
Yesterday the forward was handed his first start in five months and he returned with a bang. Using his strength and power, Willock drove forward and shrugged off Isaiah Jones and Anfernee Dijksteel to fire a rocket into the top left corner in the 13th minute.
The second was a tad fortunate. On-loan Manchester City keeper Zack Steffen came and missed Ilias Chair’s corner and the ball hit an unsuspecting Dunne on the side of the head and bounced in.
Eleven minutes later they had a third as Dykes got away from his marker and stooped to head home Stefan Johansen’s free-kick.
Boro replied with a set-piece of their own three minutes later, as
Crooks met Ryan Giles’ corner to send a bullet header past Seny Dieng. Boro threw Chuba Akpom on after half-time and the striker was straight into the action, forcing Dieng into a smart save with a powerful header. Boro were camped in QPR’s half and in the 56th minute Akpom laid the ball off to Crooks and his cross from the right picked out an unmarked Forss.
But Boro struggled to create more clear chances as QPR looked to consolidate. Paddy McNair did find the net with a finish at the back post but long after the flag had been raised for offside.
QPR still looked dangerous on the break and Albert Adomah almost restored their two-goal advantage with a shot that fizzed just wide.
Six minutes were added on but Boro’s chances of a comeback were dashed when Darragh Lenihan was judged to be the last man when he brought down Macauley Bonne just past halfway. The defender was shown a straight red.