Rovers have stormed into the second international break of the season as they won three in a row in London for the first time since May 2003, after notching their first victory in four league games away at Queens Park Rangers, to pile more pressure on boyhood Rover and current R’s boss, Gareth Ainsworth.
With Rovers now searching for their first victory in four league games, Jon Dahl Tomasson shuffled his pack and made three changes from the team that fell to a late 1-0 defeat away at Coventry City on Wednesday night. Harry Pickering returned to the squad to replace Callum Brittain at left-back, whilst Sondre Tronstad replaced Adam Wharton who was not risked in the nation’s capital due to injury. Arnór Sigurðsson was also drafted in to replace Andrew Moran, who was alongside Brittain on the bench.
As both sides came into the game searching for a victory – with the home side winless on their own turf – it was the side from London who began the game from kick-off after referee Josh Smith’s opening whistle.
Less than 60 seconds into the start of the game, Leopold Wahlstedt was called into action to deny Sinclair Armstrong who tried to find the inside of the near-post but the Swede was on-hand to deny the R’s the opener.
Rovers got themselves forward in the eighth minute by winning successive corners after the first was worked out to Sondre Tronstad who saw his effort deflected behind for another set-piece.
Rovers’ pressure continued at the set-pieces as a few minutes later Tronstad had another go from range, but the effort proved simple for ex-Chelsea goalkeeper, Asmir Begović to deal with.
With 19 minutes on the clock, Rovers managed to turn their dominance of possession into goals as Tyrhys Dolan managed to net his first of the campaign to put his team ahead! After Dilan Markanday did well to find Joe Rankin-Costello after nutmegging a defender, the academy graduate burst down the line and pulled the ball back from the byline for Dolan who stroked the ball home for 1-0.
Jake Clarke-Salter was booked in the 22nd minute for clattering into James Hill after the Rovers right-back had beaten the ex-Chelsea man for pace.
Rovers’ fine start to the game saw them soon double their lead in the 23rd minute when Arnór Sigurðsson netted his second league goal and his third in Blue and White! Markanday found Sammie Szmodics after a one-two and the Blues top scorer soon turned into an assister as he aimed a low ball towards the penalty spot before the Iceman coolly swept the ball past the Bosnian in goal for 2-0!
Ilias Chair tried to get his side back in the game three minutes later, by trying a shot from range, but the attempt was simple for Wahlstedt to claim.
Sigurðsson was leading a Rovers break in the 28th minute as he looked to find Dolan at the back-stick as the two scorers combined, but Dolan’s first-time effort lacked the accuracy that saw him open the scoring.
Ziyad Larkeche was soon looking to half the deficit, but the defender’s half-volley stung the palms of Wahlstedt, as Rovers remained two ahead after half-an-hour.
In the 36th minute, Arnór Sigurðsson and Sammie Szmodics combined as the former found the latter, but Szmodics couldn’t net his seventh of the season as his left-footed effort was cleared en-route to goal.
Moments later, QPR came forwards as Andre Dozzell picked out Lyndon Dykes, but the Scot’s nod fell wide of the target.
The 42nd minute saw James Hill nearly replicate his ferocious strike from midweek, but unlike against Coventry City, this rocket from range didn’t crash off the bar, with Begović tipping it over the crossbar.
Moments later, Sammie Szmodics was booked for dissent.
The first period was soon concluded after a minimum of two added minutes, with neither side really able to create a final chance before the break was called for.
Gareth Ainsworth would have been incredibly disappointed with his team’s lack of defensive quality and solidity, having conceded twice to a side who have become notorious for struggling in-front of goal. Despite being a boyhood Rover, the former Rangers midfielder’s loyalties would have firmly lied with the team paying his wages, as he would have wanted to get one over his hometown team and grab Rangers’ first in at Loftus Road in 19 attempts.
Jon Dahl Tomasson meanwhile would have been grinning from ear to ear after watching his side execute a fine first-half performance, but he would have been wary to remind them that the three points weren’t yet in the bag. The boss would have wanted his side to continue their fine flowing football, but also remember that the momentum could easily shift if the home crowd backed their side.
Just before Rovers got the second period underway, Jon Dahl Tomasson made his first change at the break, as Callum Brittain replaced Dilan Markanday on the right-hand side.
A quiet opening to the second-half eventually saw Rovers craft the period’s first attempt in the 54th minute as Callum Brittain’s cross felt to Dolan whose follow-up was blocked.
After Dolan found Szmodics, the attacking midfielder lined up and effort that was blocked by the well positioned head of Jake Clarke-Salter.
On the hour mark, Arnór Sigurðsson began to show his quality in full force, as he notched his first brace for the Blues to treble the lead to 3-0. The Icelandic International who received the call-up from his nation for the upcoming break, was fed by Dolan before coming into the box unchallenged. He had all the time in the world to size up his shot and curl the ball past Begović, into the bottom right corner for 3-0.
With three on the board, Tomasson made a double change, withdrawing Sondre Tronstad and Arnór Sigurðsson, who was denied the opportunity for his hattrick, as Lewis Travis and Andrew Moran replaced them.
In the 63rd minute, Szmodics was fed through before Begović made a fine stop. The loose ball popped back to Moran, but the on-loan midfielder couldn’t net his first league goal for the Blues as he failed to control the ball before it was cleared.
That missed opportunity wasn’t to be an issue for Rovers as they soon made it 4-0 to compound the home side’s misery. A Moran through ball to Dolan was cut out by Larkeche. The defender failed to control the loose ball as he inadvertently played Szmodics in, who had the composure to nutmeg the on-rushing Begović for 4-0!
In the 71st minute, Rovers came looking for a fifth as Moran’s effort from range curled wide of the mark.
QPR made their first change of the game as Paul Smyth replaced Jack Colback.
Moments later, substitutes combined, as Brittain found Moran who fed Szmodics, but the fourth goalscorer couldn’t net his own brace as his shot sneaked past the post.
Ainsworth soon turned to his bench again in the 74th minute as Osman Kaykay took the place of Ziyad Larkeche.
In the 75th minute, Joe Rankin-Costello tried an effort from range, but it failed to dip enough to cause the home side more problems than they were already dealing with.
Another Rovers change was in the offing when the ball went out of play, as Niall Ennis replaced Tyrhys Dolan, as the former Plymouth Argyle attacker was eased back into the fold following his knee injury.
In the 79th minute, a double QPR change was made as Elijah Dixon-Bonner replaced Stephen Duke-McKenna, whilst Rayan Kolli was introduced for Sinclair Armstrong.
Kolli’s impact was almost instant in the 84th minute, as he forced a fine block from Dom Hyam to keep the away side’s clean-sheet intact.
The 88th minute saw a repeat of the same situation, as Hyam was called upon once more to block Kolli’s effort.
With full-time edging nearer, Rovers made another change, as Zak Gilsenen came on for the closing moments, to make his league debut for the Blues, replacing the fourth goalscorer, Sammie Szmodics.
It didn’t take for the young Irishman to get involved in the action, but for the wrong reasons as he was booked moments after coming on for kicking the ball away prior to a set-piece.
After four minutes of time was added onto the end of the game, neither side really managed to threaten either goal, with QPR looking down and out, and Rovers doing all they could to conserve energy and retain their clean-sheet as the final whistle soon followed, to a roar of delight from the sold-out away end.
What. A. Result! Whilst the result on paper will probably not shock neutrals given QPR’s lacklustre start to the season which has seen them extend their winless home run to 20 outings, Rovers showed guile, defensive awareness and a clinical edge in the nation’s capital as they put fears of a potential fifth straight defeat to bed by not only keeping a clean-sheet, but allowing their attacking talent to flourish. The team, both as a collective and as individuals, showed great quality in both carrying the ball and defending their box, with Leo Wahlstedt sure to be delighted with his first shut-out in English football.
Despite a few results still filtering through as of writing, that victory has seen Rovers only move up a couple of spots, to 17th place, with 13 points from 11 games played, yet their goal-difference has significantly improved, from a negative -8 before kick-off, up to -4. Whilst that’s not much to rant and rave about, it could prove to be a big jump as the season progresses and the team begins to properly gel with each other.
With the second international of the season effectively underway, Rovers are not back in action until Saturday 21st October at 3pm, where they will host Cardiff City for the second time this campaign. Following that tie, Jon Dahl Tomasson takes his team back to London on Tuesday 24th for a 7:45pm midweek match against Millwall, before they return to Ewood Park on Saturday 28th to host Swansea City for another 3pm start.
