Skipper Luke Chambers headed home an injury time winner as Town came from behind to beat QPR 2-1 at Portman Road. Junior Hoilett put the visitors in front in first-half injury time but Jonathan Douglas levelled on 77 before Chambers’s dramatic last-gasp winner.

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged team for the sixth successive match, while Luke Hyam was on the Blues bench for the first time this season having been recalled from his loan spell at Rotherham.

The visitors, who were without injured star striker Charlie Austin, included former Town man Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and ex-Blues loanee Massimo Luongo on the bench.

Town were first to threaten in the fifth minute, Ainsley Maitland-Niles feeding the overlapping Chambers to his right and the Blues’ skipper sending over a low cross which QPR centre-half Grant Hall inadvertently diverted to his keeper Rob Green from the edge of the six-yard box.

Four minutes later, Daryl Murphy out-battled Gabriele Angella from a Jonas Knudsen long ball down the left but the Irish international striker’s shot flew across the face of goal.

The Blues continued to make most of the early running, winning a couple of corners which came to nothing, before Maitland-Niles just over-hit a through ball for Freddie Sears, then on 15 Murphy saw a shot deflect away from goal off Karl Henry.

There was a scare for Town on 17 when QPR’s lone striker Sebastian Polter escaped behind the backline but lost his footing as he sought to turn inside Christophe Berra as the Blues defender chased back. Referee Darren Drysdale showed no interest in penalty appeals which mainly came from the crowd.

The Scotland international was caught in possession by Hoilett before he could clear but the Canadian international took the ball out of play.

Alejandro Faurlin forced Dean Gerken into his first save of the afternoon on 19, the Argentinian midfielder curling a freekick from 25 yards towards the keeper’s top left but the ex-Colchester man claimed.

Five minutes later, Berra required treatment after a clash of heads from a corner but was OK to carry on, albeit while sporting a bandage.

Town weren’t too far away from the game’s opening goal in the 38th minute when Sears’s cross from the left reached Murphy, whose shot was blocked. The ball ricocheted to the one-time West Ham trainee, whose subsequent effort was diverted over the bar by Hall.

As half moved into injury time Chambers went close, nodding Maitland-Niles’s corner from the left wide at the far post with keeper Green nowhere. The Blues captain clearly thought he should have scored.

The half, which had never really burst into life, seemed set to end goalless until the fifth minute of injury time when Leroy Fer whipped over a cross from the right and Hoilett got in front of Chambers to head past Gerken from a couple of yards at the near post.

There was no time for Town to hit back before referee Drysdale blew his half-time whistle.

The Blues had had the better of a not overly enthralling half until conceding the late goal - another Town will feel they ought to have defended - however, without QPR keeper Green having been forced to make any serious saves. Until the goal, Gerken had similarly been under-employed, aside from Faurlin’s freekick.

Goalscorer Hoilett scraped the second half’s first shot well wide two minutes after the restart.

The visitors went closer on 52 when, after Sears had been caught in possession midway inside his own half, Matt Phillips crossed from the right and Tommy Smith did well to get to the ball ahead of Hoilett.

Town were inches away from getting on terms in the 55th minute when Chambers crossed from the right, Douglas flicked it on to Brett Pitman, whose curling shot struck the outside of Green’s left post.

Two minutes later, Maitland-Niles hit the Rangers wall with a freekick from 25 yards that the on-loan Arsenal winger had won himself.

As the game approached the hour mark, Berra made an important challenge ahead of Polter as Hoilett whipped over a ball from the left. Soon after, Ryan Fraser took over from Maitland-Niles.

Cole Skuse prevented the visitors from doubling their lead in the 66th minute when he cleared off the line from Fer. The former Norwich midfielder had been played in by Phillips and had rounded Gerken but had taken the ball wide and allowed a number of Town players to get back.

The Blues quickly broke and Paul Konchesky tripped Sears as the Blues striker took the ball between the former England man and another defender, the full-back picking up the game’s first yellow card.

After the freekick had been somewhat wasted, Tommy Oar replaced Pitman with Sears moving up front with Murphy.

On 70 Sears cut the ball back from the right to Fraser, who slid in but his effort was blocked. The loose ball ran to Oar but his strike was similarly snuffed out.

The Blues had spent the half pushing for an equaliser, not always convincingly, but had started to get closer and in the 77th minute the leveller came.

Sears’s deflected cross from the right fell to Murphy, whose shot was diverted off target by a defender to Douglas, who acrobatically hooked his third Town goal across Green and into the net from close range. It was the Blues’ first home goal for 293 minutes.

As the game moved into its final scheduled 10 minutes Hoilett hit a 20-yard strike straight at Gerken, then on 84 Fraser smashed a low effort wide of QPR keeper Green’s right post from the edge of the box.

On 88, with QPR by now putting the Blues under pressure, Oar was booked for a foul on Konchesky and from the freekick the visitors almost regained the lead. Faurlin sent the ball over towards skipper Nedum Onuoha, whose header Gerken did superbly to tip past his left post.

But two minutes into injury time, it was the Blues who would claim a dramatic winner. Sears whipped over a right-footed cross from the left and Chambers steamed in at the back post to power a header past Green and into the corner of the net.

The skipper was mobbed by his team-mates as Portman Road went wild, while the QPR players stood around disconsolately. There was was no time for them to hit back and referee Drysdale’s whistle confirmed that the three points were Town’s.

Having been a touch unfortunate to be behind after a drab first half, Town took the game to the visitors in the second half with Pitman unlucky not to have equalised when he hit the post.

The Blues had gone close again through Fraser just prior to Douglas reacting quickly and acrobatically to grab his goal.

If anything QPR had appeared more likely to claim a late winner until skipper Chambers - who had been at fault for the visitors’ goal - arrived at the far post to thump home his second goal of the season and to send the large Boxing Day crowd home happy.

The result - only Town’s second home win in 10 and their fourth successive victory on Boxing Day - sees the Blues stay sixth but now only a point behind fifth-placed Burnley, who lost 3-0 at Hull City.

Town are next in action on Tuesday when they travel to fourth-placed Brighton, who drew 0-0 at Brentford.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles (Fraser 60), Sears, Murphy (Varney 90), Pitman (Oar 68). Unused: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Hyam, Bru.

QPR: Green, Onuoha (c), Angella, Hall, Konchesky, Henry, Faurlin, Hoilett, Phillips (Chery 83), Fer (Sandro 70), Polter. Unused: Smithies, Hill, Emmanuel-Thomas, Luongo, Tozser. Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire). Att: 23,615 (QPR: 974).

Photo: Action Images

PJH added 18:26 - Dec 26 Well that makes up a little bit for some of the points that we should previously have got but did not.Thought we hardly deserved a draw out of that but will happily take the three points. Nobody could have enjoyed scoring a winning goal more than Chambo. Thought Murphy very good and Knudsen much better than of late. Hopefully we can now continue to win home games whilst also continuing our excellent away form. Looking forward to Brighton on Tuesday.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 18:27 - Dec 26 At the end of the day there are 3 outcomes with a football match, win, lose, or draw. We won, last I checked that's the best of the 3 options, I think that for 1 week at least that would allow for some positivity even on radio Suffolk? I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest people cheer up after such a result. Hey you just won the lottery how do you feel? "S##t. Yeah? Well then you're a miserable git Ipswich win, Norwich loose. Simple pleasures

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Flewitt85 added 18:32 - Dec 26 Blueboy1981- what a stupid post!!!! Don't care what you think, people saying we were s##t after a win just p###ing me off. Again some people!!
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runaround added 18:32 - Dec 26 Another couple of funny moments was the bloke who walked out halfway through the second half as it was rubbish & thought we had no chance of turning it around & Knudsen with his hilarious attempt at trying to put Robert Green off his clearance
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whosroundisitanyway added 18:36 - Dec 26 So exactly how poor are the other 17 teams below us??????
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Blue_Again added 18:43 - Dec 26 If your winning and people are complaining you know the football must be bad. It's not too hard to ask for some passing now and again.
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southnorfolkblue added 18:45 - Dec 26 Poor game between 2 poor sides BUT I DONT CARE!!! We played better in our last 2 home games and got zilch. 3 points will do me fine thanks. Credit to MM - I think that he got the subs spot on. Fraser has to start Tuesday in place of AMN.
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warktheline added 18:46 - Dec 26 @whosroundisitanyway, that's the point, the division, apart from 4-5 teams, are much the same, and extremely ordinary! McCarthy achieved a minor miracle making last seasons play offs. There should of been player investment in summer, it didn't happen, which is hugely disappointing, especially when you consider we sit 6th in table!!! A touch of quality could have seen us in a top two position at Christmas.

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essexbluey added 18:47 - Dec 26 Iam now home in southend iam buzzing about that win and iam off to the pub in a while to get wasted. Dare say the pubs in southend will be happy places tonight after the southend result to.
2

hancockingoal added 18:53 - Dec 26 A scrappy game (particularly first half) between two hard working but average sides. At the end of the day, we were probably physically fitter, thus Chambers popping up in injury time to score the winner! Contrary to an earlier post I thought today's referee was the best one we have seen this season. To get to the next level we need some guile and creativity in midfield, but and this is a big but, I don't think that this type of player is available and certainly not within our budget? Being realistic I think if we can secure sixth spot we will do well. My only criticism is the selection of Maitland-Niles, he works hard and covers back just as he is probably instructed to do? I would rather see him play in a more offensive role, his natural talent is wasted and I would fear for his chances of progressing to a higher level and fulfilling his potential?

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irishtim added 19:29 - Dec 26 @warktheline. We have brought in more flair. This division imo needs a bit of everything. So in MM i trust.
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dannyrr added 19:36 - Dec 26 That was so frustrating to watch and what a way to win with a smash and grab. Too many occasions today where the ball was hoofed - passed to the opposition- watched by midfielders - not closed down. It was awful to watch - great attendance though and overall that's what teams need to do - win dirty - dig in even when they are playing badly. Need to start with Fraser and give more time to Tommy Oar and Luke Varney. Less than ten minutes not enough but the game was rescued and we got three points. COYB and lets get some more points away from home ⚽️

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budgieplucker added 19:37 - Dec 26 First and foremost I have to say that I have been looking forward to this boxing day fixture all week, especially not having had a fixture on this day for 7 miserable years (except the cancelled Watford match 5 years ago). I much prefer a home match on boxing day rather than New Years day. So I was bitterly disappointed when I saw the team selection. Not that I don't think this team hasn't done well enough for us grinding out several excellent away vic tories but with nearly 24000 fans in the stadium we need a much more enterprising performance to make up for some the drab ones we have witnessed as well starting to try and show some dominance at home. But hey Ho Mick the stubborn refuses to give the likes of Bru and Fraser a start. Clearly thee little scotfish winger puts the defence constantly on the back foot and looks to be one of our most influential players. The pedestrianism of Messrs Suze and Douglas reminded me of trying to open a can with blunt instrument. Not to criticise the industry and endeavour of the wooden top twins in the middle of the park but finesse and intelligence is just not part of their game. To Dougie s credit he was where needed to breath desperate life into the team for the final stages after Murfs horrendous miskick when he should have buried the ball. Never the less great fightback from the lads and do or die efforts right to the end. I can't help thinking that we missed an opportunity to swell the crowds for future fixtures, decent performances from the bench from Oar and Fraser, Freddie looking far more dangerous playing off of the shoulder of the lat defender.

12

BlueMachines added 20:04 - Dec 26 Fed up off AMN being pushed off the ball and his half hearted challenges. Will start referring to Tommy Smith as Hitler. He only has one ball. And that's hoof it out. But MM made the right substitutions today. Fraser needs to start. But for me Putting a proper winger on and moving Sears upfront was the key. Made all the difference. Oar gave us much more composure in the final 3rd. Something we needed. And the win feels epic. Something else we needed as a club. With some quality players now back in and around the squad hopefully we can push on in the new year.

3

battyblue added 20:06 - Dec 26 Floridablue marked you up by mistake intended to mark you down,,much needed three points at home but the football is dreadful,Gerken continues to confuse his defense and fail to collect balls which should be his will things ever change? not while MM is in charge i fear dull boring dross
4

warktheline added 20:08 - Dec 26 @irishtim, accept your view to a point, but it would of been nice to of seen players purchased. Your faith in McCarthy has never wavered, for that I salute You !Let's hope we kick on till end of season and I'm left with egg on my face, and a fridge full of humble pie to eat through all summer!
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blueboy1981 added 20:20 - Dec 26 Question for the bohslegend ............. How many times have you actually been to Portman Road this season ???- interested by means of your minus / plus casts on various posts this evening.
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blueboy1981 added 20:23 - Dec 26 ...... oh, I forgot - plenty to say - but not able to get there .... !!!!!!
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KiwiTractor added 20:28 - Dec 26 Great results, if not a great performance (by the sounds of it). I really didn't think we would get 3 points today, so very happy. Off to chuck a few prawns on the barbie.
1

mattbarton91 added 20:31 - Dec 26 So much negativity from town 'fans' today. The majority of you are expecting too much, too soon. Look what McCarthy's done in a couple of seasons on a shoestring budget, he's stabilized the club and recognized us as as potential play off team. Yes we played poor today, but who cares, we got the three points. Good teams grind out results when they're not at their best. COYB

3

billlm added 20:35 - Dec 26 We were poor compared to the last 2 home games n get 3 points funny old game
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thebeat added 20:47 - Dec 26 Scenes at the end today when we got the winner. Love a stoppage time winner but still plenty of issues with the team for me. Now we have reverted back to 4-4-2 we CANNOT continue to play Douglas with Skuse. It didnt work earlier in the season and doesnt work now. All it does is make us hoof it even more because we dont have the ability to play through the midfield. Fraser has to start every game when fit, he frightens teams to death and links so well with Sears again resulting in our 1st goal today. Lets get Bru and Fraser in for Douglas and Pitman and really go at teams by moving the ball through midfield and down the wings, we can do it, whenever we do it we play better and score goals, as shown today with both goals.

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Keaneish added 21:09 - Dec 26 Good post budgieplucker. Couldn't agree more.
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Charlie_pl_baxter added 21:15 - Dec 26 My little boy's first town game today. Perhaps not the most exciting first half but what a great game for him to watch. For the last minute he just kept saying the game needs to finish now so we can win.
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sidtheswan added 21:43 - Dec 26 Worst game I've seen for a long time . That bored left early and missed Chambo's goal! That'll teach me . COYB !
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