Matt Phillips netted in the 88th minute to hand QPR a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Loftus Road. But for an excellent goalkeeping display from Bartosz Bialkowski Town would have been behind at half-time, but the second period was a more even affair in which both teams had chances and Phillips headed home late on to claim the three points.

Mick McCarthy handed Luke Varney his first league start since May alongside Brett Pitman, the duo having combined to created Town’s late winner against Reading on Tuesday.

Daryl Murphy and Ainsley Maitland-Niles dropped to the bench, while Luke Hyam missed out with a calf injury and was replaced in central midfield by Kevin Bru.

For QPR, who included former Blues loanee Massimo Luongo from the start, full debutant Conor Washington came in for the sold Leroy Fer in an otherwise unchanged team.

The game started in a blustery wind and with Town in their Barcelona-style second strip for only the second time.

Blues keeper Bialkowski was forced in a double save inside the first 35 seconds. Phillips escaped down the right and hit a powerful shot from a tight angle which the Polish keeper pushed away from goal. The loose ball fell to Luongo but Bialkowski was there again to deny the Australian.

Bru picked up his third booking of the season for a foul on Alejandro Faurlin in the eighth minute with the early stages of the match having been hampered by the swirling wind and a number of stoppages for injuries.

There was a scare for Town in the 13th minute when Jonas Knudsen allowed himself to be robbed by Phillips, who took the ball into the area on the QPR right before Christophe Berra got across to dispossess him.

Rangers continued to have the better of it and on 16 Washington cut the ball back to Sebastian Polter from the left but Berra got in the way of his effort at goal.

The Blues again had Bialkowski to thank for keeping the scores level in the 19th minute when Phillips sent over a cross from the right which reached an unmarked Junior Hoilett at the far post. The Town keeper came off his line quickly to block and Sears did enough to prevent Polter from getting in a subsequent strike.

On 21 a long wind-assisted Knudsen throw down the left beat Nedim Onuoha and reached Pitman, who slid in to cut the ball across the box but with none of his team-mates there to add the final touch.

Two minutes later, Bialkowski batted away a Hoilett shot from 25 yards, then on 28 the Canadian international cut in from the left and hit a shot to the keeper’s right that he got down to save and then claim at the second attempt.

Faurlin joined Bru in referee Charles Breakspear’s book in the 33rd minute for diving in somewhat recklessly on Sears, angering the Town players who surrounded the official.

Five minutes later, Bru gifted the ball to Hoilett, who just failed to thread Polter in on the right of the area.

As the half moved into its final five minutes the lively former Blackburn Rovers man curled another strike just beyond the top corner of Bialkowski’s goal from the right.

Pitman struck Town’s first shot on goal of the game four minutes before the break from the edge of the box but keeper Alex Smithies was untroubled.

Phillips again got away from Knudsen in the 43rd minute and crossed low to James Perch, who turned it past Bialkowski’s left post.

A minute later, an interchange of passes on the right ended with Hoilett curling a shot past the opposite post.

Town will have been much the happier to have gone in with the scoreline still 0-0 at the break with QPR having been on top throughout and having had all the game’s chances.

But for a number of impressive stops from Bialkowski and some important blocks and interceptions from Berra, the Blues could have found themselves well behind at half-time.

Town had struggled to gain control in midfield and had shown little going forward with the wind perhaps having favoured the home side during the first half, while Murphy’s physical presence had been missed up front.

The Blues remained unchanged after the break and started the second half brightly, Fraser sending over a cross from the left but beyond Varney and Pitman. Town continued to threaten in the opening minutes, Pitman heading to Smithies following a corner on the right.

But the home side began to get back on top and on 52 Faurlin wafted a pass towards Phillips into the area which held up in the wind and Bialkowski claimed.

Three minutes later, Berra did well to get ahead of Polter to nod a cross from the left wide, then soon after Smith cut out a ball in from the right.

Town switched Varney and Cole Skuse - who had appeared to be carrying an injury - for Murphy and Giles Coke, who was a youth player with QPR.

Murphy immediately won a ball in the air which led to a chance, Fraser hitting a low ball across the six-yard box which no one was able to reach.

Soon after, QPR swapped Faurlin for Daniel Tozser, then Onuoha was booked for a foul on Sears.

On 63 Coke played in Fraser on the right of the area but Grant Hall saw the ball out of play, then three minutes later Murphy cushion down to Bru, who fed the Scotland U21 international but his effort failed to test Smithies.

The Blues were in the game more than they were in the first half, however, even if the home side were still having more of the chances.

In the 69th minute Berra did superbly to get across in front of Washington after Paul Konchesky had whipped in a cross from the left. Moments later, the recent signing from Peterborough twisted and turned on the edge of the box before shooting over.

Hoilett was replaced by Jamie Mackie ion 70, having suffered an earlier knock when challenged by Coke.

The Blues midfielder underwent lengthy treatment himself in the 74th minute after going down off the ball but eventually continued.

As the game moved into its final 15 minutes Fraser charged down a Smithies kick but the ball flew out.

Pitman headed weakly past Smithies’s left post, then at the other end Bialkowski saved a low Luongo shot from distance comfortably.

Town twice went close to grabbing the lead with 10 minutes left on the clock. A long Knudsen throw-in from the left was flicked on and eventually found Pitman, who stabbed towards goal. Smithies saved and Sears got to the loose ball but the keeper was able to grab hold of the ball.

With eight minutes remaining Bru sent over a corner from the right and Pitman hit a volley which Tozser blocked.

The Blues had begun to look more threatening in the final minutes but with two minutes remaining the home side grabbed the lead.

Sub Abdenasser El Khayati showed some clever footwork on the right before crossing to the unmarked Phillips, who headed into the roof of the net from eight yards.

The Town players protested about a Polter handball earlier in the move, but to no avail.

Pitman looked to get the Blues back on terms immediately, but shot weakly through to Smithies, then Bialkowski pushed away a powerful Tozser strike.

The Blues continued to press in injury time, Knudsen sending over a low cross which Sears diverted to Smithies, then QPR eventually managed to clear a scramble in the box in which Smith saw an overhead kick blocked and Sears had another shot saved by Smithies.

In the closing moments Fraser pulled up short with a hamstring injury and Larsen Touré briefly took over.

Soon after, referee Breakspear’s final whistle confirmed the Blues’ second last-gasp defeat in their last two visits to Loftus Road.

Having been very much second best in the first half, after the break the game had been more even with both sides having chances, the majority of Town's late on.

But it was QPR - defeated 2-1 in the final minute at Portman Road on Boxing Day - who took one of their chances to claim their first home win since November 28th, their first at Loftus Road under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and only the second victory of the Dutchman's time in charge.

Town, who travel to Bristol City next Saturday, drop to seventh, two points behind Sheffield Wednesday, who came from behind to win 2-1 at Birmingham, who are now eighth.

QPR: Smithies, Perch, Hall, Onouha (c), Konchesky, Faurlin (Tozser 59), Luongo, Hoilett (Mackie 70), Phillips, Washington (El Khayati 81), Polter. Unused: Ingram, Angella, Chery, Petresso.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse (Coke 58), Bru, Fraser (Touré 9), Sears, Varney (Murphy 58), Pitman. Unused: Henly, Foley, Digby, Maitland-Niles. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey). Att: 17,044 (Town: 3,188).

Photo: Action Images

therein61 added 17:56 - Feb 6 A side put on the park to get a point from the off! if not for Bart we would have been hammered we get to 88mins and the point plan is surviving then low and behold we are undone by a free header!!! all in all an inept display and injuries and yellow cards are building up I fear the worst
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alfromcol added 17:58 - Feb 6 If Fraser is injured we are in real trouble. Without him, going forward, we offer nothing!
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sidtheswan added 17:59 - Feb 6 Surely our brilliant away support deserves better !
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runaround added 17:59 - Feb 6 Listening on the radio sounded like Bart kept us in it first half but then as the game moved on we came into & if anything sounded more likely to nick it. However it came across as though Mick was happy with a point. However with Brum & Wednesday playing each other, a draw would only have been enough to keep us in the top 6 if that game had also ended all square, we needed to win. Sounds like we really put the pressure on once behind but too little too late. Injuries also stacking up & if Fraser is out for any length of time then I can only see us failing to get top 6. This after last season will be a step backwards however small. The summer is going to be massive for the McCarthy reign at ITFC. With seemingly no players we can sell for big money, unless ME releases the purse strings, it seems unlikely MM will be able to improve on what we have & may need a total rebuild

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Priskin9 added 18:02 - Feb 6 Well we are 7 th in the league play offs still on! Emergency loan players required from Prem clubs Not sure why Murphy did not start. I am a MM fan but he does make some strange decisions at times
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BanksterDebtSlave added 18:02 - Feb 6 Blueboy1982....but at least you're giving me something to smile about....'long since do' to you too!
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alfromcol added 18:02 - Feb 6 Without Murphy and playing "hoofball!" we are nothing. I agree that Pitman can nick a goal in then last few minutes, but without a tall, big front man, our "get it forward hoofball" has no chance of succeeding. Hopefully still make the play-offs and sneak through.
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atty added 18:05 - Feb 6 No serious investment in January - why when like last year we have been in or around the play offs all season? Therefore no realistic chance of promotion, but we could just grind out the season and finish sixth, you never know. Absolutely no intention of building a team that can vary play including playing attacking football through midfield, or can keep possession and see out games, when in front. One dimensional, hoof ball and head tennis, with a just glimpse of quality now and again .Oh dear - need a good drink tonight! Q - what does Evans want, what is his plan? Has he got one?

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PSGBlue added 18:06 - Feb 6 The only success this season will be Norwich getting relegated, at least we will get the derbies back next season. Even that may not be a good thing either! We have been hanging on by our finger nails to the top six, largely by getting lucky with three late goals. But now I fear our luck has just run out. Murphy is rapidly turning into a donkey as the season goes on and our thread bare squad is looking very thin. Fraser's injury is a nail in the promotion coffin! One last throw of the dice remains in the loan market, but apart from that with little investment in the team, its mid table. We will be back to the Magilton standard of ten years ago (9th or worse), which in itself was seen as unacceptable by ME!

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dukey44 added 18:07 - Feb 6 Come on mick lets hear why we lost?
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prebsa added 18:09 - Feb 6 We all have Bart to thank that we only lost that game 1-0! QPR totally domianted us and they just kept running at Chambers and Knudsen and beating them with ease! Our hoof ball tactic was poor and without Murphy it's even worse than normal. We just managed to scrape past Reading at home and now this. Mick still persists he can't get better but we know we can! We went there today looking for a draw and it haven't worked. On a handful of occasions we worked the ball well but the rest of it was just hoofs up the pitch! Seeing Fraser going off at the end was painful to watch and I really hope that it's not too long because he is our best player (who isent even ours). Without him our creativity goes from almost nothing to nothing. I know it all sounds negative but we need to change the way we play because teams are figuring us out and without Bart today we would be looking at a much worse scoreline!

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Michael11 added 18:11 - Feb 6 I can accept losing if we go for the win and are unlucky. We only started trying to score when our tactic of drawing 0-0 went out the window in the 88th minute! If we'd played like the last couple of minutes all game, we probably would've scored 3 or 4! Biggest disappointment is Ryan Fraser looked to get a serious injury. Really hope it's not too bad otherwise we can kiss goodbye to any chance of making the play-offs!

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Gforce added 18:12 - Feb 6 It's all irrelevant,I had a dream last night,woke up in the year 2026 and we were still in the championship.
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Gforce added 18:14 - Feb 6 It's all irrelevant,I had a dream last night,woke up in the year 2026 and we were still in the championship.....
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Pip50 added 18:15 - Feb 6 Gforce priceless and Mick was in charge still LOL
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blueboy1981 added 18:16 - Feb 6 Gforce ......... much more of a realistic premonition, than a dream, I would suggest .... !!!
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BanksterDebtSlave added 18:18 - Feb 6 Jas0999..couldn't agree more! Fair points fairly put. I sincerely believe that the problems lie with the money men. With the injuries we are going to need to get behind the players and management more than ever (at home that is) My problem with the 'merchants of doom' is that they can' wait to get on the players'/management's back at every opportunity. I for one would hate to be 'man managed' by any of them. You know who you are!

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Gforce added 18:18 - Feb 6 Its all irrelevant,I had a dream last night,woke up in the year 2026 we were still in the championship !
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Seasider added 18:20 - Feb 6 Before the match said that Pitts and Varney deserved to play after Tuesday and Mick must have agreed. I also said that was concerned about Ryan Fraser's hamstring which was tight after game Tuesday, and thought he would be substituted due to the heavier pitches, hamstrings as we know with Didsy and Bishop can keep you out for a long while. Unfortunately Mick kept him on for the full 90 mins when his hamstring went so it looks as he could be out,for quite a while,joining the above two sicknotes plus Hyam and Skuse.This means that McCarthy should certainly go into the loan market now. Bart kept Ipswich in game first half and should get mom.Improved a bit after half time when Manager changed it round a bit,but it wasn't til QPR scored right at the end that Town looked like scoring;so its now 3 away defeats on the trot following previous good run,and 7th place. Makes Mickmacs decision not to strengthen last month look WRONG,and makes getting back in the play=offs even more difficult than previously. QPR were only mid table side;but think Jimmy Floyd has already started to turn things around there.Like his attitude talking before the match about playing entertaining football;something we never hear from Mr McCarthy. Next week we go to a bottom side in Bristol City,will MM big them up,surely not;but if Town lose looks like Mick will have an excuse,because it looks likely that he will have an increasing injury list.Hope not of course. Only plus today really was Barts performance,and of course Norwich dropping into bottom three.Looks like we might have the local derby back next season after all!

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Ipswichbusiness added 18:21 - Feb 6 When Oar left I said that I was much more worried about out failure to re-sign Williams and with Coke and Toure coming on I'm even more sure that I was right. How about trying a couple of the youngsters?
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blueboy1981 added 18:26 - Feb 6 ........ a point was the objective from the start - we never started to play, at all, until after they scored - which just goes to prove ,yet again,we could have done so much earlier. Same old problem - just a different day.
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alfromcol added 18:26 - Feb 6 Gforce Your lucky mate, at my age, I won't be waking up in 2016!!!
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Tufty added 18:33 - Feb 6 You can't win every game no matter who plays Surely the point of supporting your chosen club is to give the players on the pitch for that game encouragement to do their best. Enjoy the afternoon as a form of entertainment and if it's not too good then so be it move on. Hasn't anybody walked out of a cinema or concert and thought that was garbage. And if your memory is so poor that you can't remember the likes of losing 3-0 at home to Sheffield Ltd a couple of seasons ago perhaps you should become a derbyshire county fan £25 million spent no win in seven.

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Seasider added 18:43 - Feb 6 Just a couple more things,Hoped that the Barca-esque shirts would make the boys play a bit more tippy-tappy footy like the Spanish giants;so was a dis-appointed Massimon Luongo,He inherited the midfield playmaker from Paul Jewell.He had been signed on a season long loan;but Mick could not wait to get rid of him,being the first player he got rid of on 9th November 2012,just a week after he took over. Couldn't we do with somebody like him now Mick?

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Geoff added 18:45 - Feb 6 While all the clubs that are ambitious are shopping at John Lewis we are queuing in the local poundland store. We fans deserve better how can the owner say we are looking at being promoted the only celebration we will have is seeing the budgies relegated. Come on old Scrooge put up or shut up and be honest with us fans who are seeing the light if you do not want us put us up for sale and let someone who does invest the money to get us back i for one have had enough of championship football it is now time for change.

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