Nahki Wells puts gloss on comfortable QPR victory

Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by PA

Nahki Wells scored his first goal for QPR as their resurgence continued with a 3-0 Sky Bet Championship victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Tomer Hemed and Luke Freeman netted at Loftus Road before Wells, on as a substitute, sealed the win with seven minutes remaining.

Hemed put Rangers in front 10 minutes before half-time with his second goal in as many games.

The on-loan Brighton striker nodded in the loose ball after Pawel Wszolek’s shot from the left-hand side of the penalty area was parried by Cameron Dawson.

Rangers went further ahead after 57 minutes and again Wszolek was involved in the build up.

Ebere Eze laid the ball off to the Polish winger, who crossed from the right for Freeman to head home.

And Eze set up the third with a precise pass through to on-loan Burnley forward Wells, who fired into the far corner.

It was the third win and clean sheet of a four-match unbeaten run for Rangers, who have recovered well since losing their first four league games under boss Steve McClaren.

The R’s, hammered 7-1 at West Brom and then beaten 3-0 at home by Bristol City during that nightmare start for McClaren, have lost just two of their subsequent 10 Sky Bet Championship matches.

That recovery has been in no small part down to the arrivals of Hemed and Wells.

Hemed, who has scored three times since being brought in, was denied by an early save from Dawson after being teed up by Eze’s pass.

Sheffield Wednesday then dominated for a spell and Hemed’s opener came somewhat against the run of play.

Barry Bannan had gone close for Wednesday with a left-footed strike which flashed just wide during a lively period from the visitors.

As the Owls continued to threaten, keeper Joe Lumley saved at his near post from Atdhe Nuhiu following a mix-up between Rangers centre-backs Joel Lynch and Toni Leistner, who otherwise defended very well.

Wednesday, now beaten on their last five visits to London, continued to threaten in the second half.

Shortly before going two down, they almost equalised when Adam Reach’s cross was touched onto the far post by Lucas Joao.

And after Freeman’s goal, Reach sent a powerful shot wide of the target and Lumley saved from Steven Fletcher.

But QPR were more clinical and Wszolek’s shot was tipped over by Dawson shortly before Wells’ emphatic finish quashed any prospect of a Wednesday comeback.