First-half goals from Luke Freeman, direct from a corner, and Tomer Hemed, from the penalty spot, gave QPR a comfortable 2-0 victory over dismal Town at Portman Road, where the Blues remain without a win in more than six months. Freeman curled his flag-kick over keeper Dean Gerken on 13 and Hemed netted from the spot in first-half injury time.

Town boss Paul Hurst named the same XI which started the 3-2 win, the Blues' first of the season, at Swansea a fortnight ago.

That saw Matthew Pennington again at right-back and Janoi Donacien on the left with Jonas Knudsen on the bench, which was also unchanged from the trip to the Liberty Stadium.

Skipper Luke Chambers was over the illness which a number of players had suffered from during the last week and took his usual role at the centre of the defence, while Grant Ward, who we understand was the mystery pre-match injury doubt, was also in the XI.

QPR, wearing a lurid pink away kit, made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 at home with Derby prior to the international break with Hemed and Pawel Wszolek replacing one-time Town trialist Nahki Wells and Jordan Cousins, who dropped to the bench.

The visitors, kicking towards the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, had the best of the opening few minutes but without creating a chance, although former Blues loanee Massimo Luongo blazed well wide following a corner on eight.

Three minutes later, Rangers went closer when Hemed headed over from another flag-kick.

The West Londoners threatened again on 13 when Wszolek got on to Chambers’s header back towards Gerken as they chased a ball down the right but the keeper saved the Polish international’s shot from a tight angle.

However, directly from the corner the visitors took the lead. Freeman curled the ball in under the bar and Gerken was unable to get enough on it to turn it over.

Town found themselves behind before they had got going via another very preventable goal.

The visitors continued to have most of the ball and make all the running with the Blues unable to string anything together until the half-hour mark when a long spell of passing, largely orchestrated by Andre Dozzell, ended with Gwion Edwards whipping over a cross which was beyond any of his team-mates.

Moments later at the other end, a loose Nsiala pass gave the ball to Wszolek, who broke into the area before his shot was blocked.

Town were showing signs of finally making some headway, however, and they might have levelled on 35. Chalobah broke forward into the right of the box and cut back to an unmarked Ward, who mistimed his shot and the ball looped well wide.

But moments before the break the Blues found themselves 2-0 behind. After they had failed to clear another of Freeman’s corners from the right, the ball fell to Eberechi Eze, who tried to work himself space in the box before Nsiala slid in and upended him.

There was little doubt that it was a penalty and Hemed found the net from the spot with a low shot to Gerken’s left.

The whistle went within seconds to loud boos from the Portman Road crowd after a disastrous half from the Blues.

QPR started the stronger before being gifted their goal by they type of error which has been all to common from Town’s keepers and defence all season.

The Blues had started to get into the game and might have equalised through Ward - their only chance of the half - before QPR were handed their penalty and increased lead via Nsiala’s rash challenge.

QPR almost increased their lead within seconds of the restart. Eke’s boot appeared to be high as he took the ball off Chambers’s head just outside the box but referee Geoff Eltringham failed to whistle. Fortunately for Town Gerken had come off his line quickly and saved from the England U20 international.

QPR skipper Toni Leistner was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 53rd minute for a foul on Sears midway inside the visitors’ half. The freekick was in a potentially dangerous position but Ward’s ball into the box was easy for the QPR defence to deal with.

Four minutes later Wszolek shot from distance straight at Gerken, then on 59 Pennington made a strong run forward from deep and played a ball for Sears but the striker had strayed offside.

QPR keeper Joe Lumley was forced into his first save of the afternoon in the 61st minute to sarcastic cheers from some sections of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Sears broke away on the left and sent a cross behind Edwards at the far post. Chalobah picked the ball up and sent it back in to Ward, whose header was too close to the QPR keeper to seriously trouble him.

Blues boss Hurst made a double change in the 66th minute with Ward and Edwards making way for Kayden Jackson and 18-year-old debutant Jack Lankester, the first player born in the 2000s to appear for the Town first team.

The subs got involved immediately, Jackson breaking away on the left of the box and sending the ball across towards Lankester on the edge of the six-yard box, however a defender cleared ahead of the youngster.

Three minutes later, Gerken saved from Hemed, then on 71 the visitors had another chance to wrap it up when the Blues made a dreadful mess of a freekick in a promising position and Eze was sent away on goal by QPR with Skuse just sliding in to dispossess the youngster as he prepared to shoot.

Former Wycombe Wanderers loanee Eze went closer to his side’s third goal of the game two minutes later, deftly chipping over Gerken from the edge of the box but seeing the ball bounce off the top of the bar and over.

Yet another loose Town pass, this time from Nsiala, gifted the ball to Eze inside the Blues half on 79 but the impressive youngster’s cross was cut out after he had broken into the area.

A third QPR goal was looking far more likely than a Town first but on 84 Sears sent in a low cross from the right which a visiting defender stabbed away from Jackson.

On 89 Lumley was forced to rush of his line to intercept Dozzell’s pass for Jackson to chase, then ran out of his area to complete the clearance before Josh Scowen replaced man of the match Eze.

The final whistle triggered more boos from the Portman Road faithful after probably the Blues’ worst performance of the season.

QPR were the better side from start to finish with Town on the back foot throughout aside from a couple of brief spells in the first half, all too often surrendering possession needlessly and often in dangerous areas.

They continued their season-long habit of gifting goals and in the end the two-goal margin flattered the home side with the visitors spurning a number of chances and Gerken making a couple of important saves.

At the other end, Ward’s first-half opportunity was the only real chance, set pieces in potentially threatening areas were wasted time and again and the result never looked in any doubt once Hemed had stroked home his penalty.

The defeat, the second at home this season, sees the Blues drop to bottom of the table level on points, goal difference and goals scored with Hull City, who climb above them having won the fixture between the sides last month.

Town next have back-to-back away games at Leeds, who are fourth, on Wednesday and at 22nd-placed Millwall next Saturday.

Town: Gerken, Pennington, Nsiala, Chambers (c), Donacien, Skuse, Chalobah, Edwards (Lankester 66), Dozzell, Ward (Jackson 66), Sears. Unused: Bialkowski, Knudsen, Nolan, Graham, Downes.

QPR: Lumley, Rangel, Leistner (c), Lynch, Bidwell, Cameron, Luongo, Freeman, Eze (Scowen 90), Wszolek, Hemed (Wells 72). Unused: Ingram, Hall, Cousins, Smith, Osayi-Samuel. Referee: Geoff Eltringham (County Durham). Att 18,345 (QPR: 1,338).

Photo: TWTD

muhrensweet4thijssen added 06:22 - Oct 21 Ha ha. What we need is a young manager, hungry lower league players and we will be in for an exciting future!!!! Who asked for that? Most of you. What about now? Stop blaming Evans he gave us what the majority asked for
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warktheline added 07:48 - Oct 21 @ha ha ( hilarious not funny) not many asked for Hurst!
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warktheline added 07:51 - Oct 21 @blueboy, interesting post (ref Chambers, feeling sorry for him!) are you looking at just this 'game' or the whole 'picture'?
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:00 - Oct 21 Vanisblue, not sure about Leeds 6-0 but, yes we are going to get a right spanking soon ,we are like a Sunday league team now .
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afcfee added 09:13 - Oct 21 I said before the game why was Gerk still being picked then he concedes from a corner given as an own goal. Sticking with Skuse regardless of some of form basically surrendering the midfield every game. Playing defenders out of position. 1 up front at home. Emotionless on touch line. I could go on. It's like he's trying to be sacked. Just pay him off and get rid asap please Mr. Evans.

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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 09:13 - Oct 21 @Walktheline Regarding our stoic & "undroppable" captain (and for the record do I agree with the sentiment of others that "He really really feels for the club" ... and on that sole basis alone you can indeed be inclined to feel sorry for him as well, the way things has gone south for this poorly run club in recent times): TWTD members has rated the loud-talking, fist-pumping, "With my passing skills hmmm I think I will just hoof it aimlessly up field" Chambo, oh *sometimes* aka as Captain Calamity, an blatantly UNIMPOSING average of 5.21 over 13 games... which is kind of generous i my humble opinion, (especially given the sheer number of costly or very near being costly defensive "mix ups" or "dispositions" he has been involved in, aye even taking into consideration him perhaps not always being a 100% fit or not, playing occasionally out of position or not!) ... thus a *captaincy* average that MIGHT just create serious interest from the likes of Crewe Alexandra in the upcoming transfer windows I you ask sarcastic me! :-) :-) lol And granted, as other not very good & skillful footballers Chambo does indeed have himself a real good & solid looking game ONCE IN A WHILE... but as explained many times before this has much MORE to do with the "Laws of Probability" being in full effect, than with him & at the present stage of his career being a *genuine* and not the least *consistent* quality footballer (and captain!) at this level, all in strict accordance with the proverbial "If you keep running them out there game after game after game".....well lo & behold! What do yo know? lol Them particular as professionals are simply bound by probability etc. to sometimes not being exposed at all but rather having themselves something of a true 'Field Day', once in a while!

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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 09:38 - Oct 21 @muhrensweet4thijssen Yes I too recall that SOME fans stated words to that effect (but far far from the majority imho!) but : Stop blaming Evans??? Please!!! But hey, each to his or hers own and if you seriously mean what you wrote, inferring him as largely being a "blameless" and just easily identifiable scapegoat time and time again, and it certainly sounds that way.... hmmm may I then respectfully (and sarcastically of course!) ask, while looking and the bigger picture i.e. the last 10+ years of blatantly football-clueless & football-indifferent Marcus Scrooge's ERROR-RIDDEN ownership: What exotic planet are you on or which awesome sandlot do have your head permanently buried in??? :-) :-) Anyhow, let's have another super silly meme to reconcile then, shall we? lol:

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Paddy39 added 10:05 - Oct 21 I have never been a get the manager out and was not in the Get Mc Carthy out camp, however Paul Hurst is not doing it at this level. Sorry to say this but get rid and get Steve Bruce he's available.
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blueboy1981 added 10:51 - Oct 21 .... warktheline - I was referring to yesterdays game mainly ref Chambers -what I was trying to get across was he is obviously limited in his overall ability, on a good day just about Championship standard - therefore to play him and/or people around him out of position,is certainly doing anyone any favours at all. I believe he had a reasonable game yesterday, amongst nothing short of chaos around him. When players are struggling to achieve a / the standard required, the last thing a good Manager would do is play them out of position. However much I would like Hurst to succeed, just like I did McCarthy - it just isn't going to happen. Anyone who knows the game at all, will have seen enough evidence of that already. He has to GO.

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blueboy1981 added 10:52 - Oct 21 ..... should read :- certainly not ...
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blueboy1981 added 11:13 - Oct 21 Gerken's achilles heal will always be what we saw yesterday - never more than the next minute away. That's why Bart' should be in goal - far better all round keeper.
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chalky added 11:15 - Oct 21 For Heaven's Sake, Marcus, get rid of Hurst before it's too late. He talks a lot in press conferences, but is completely out of his depth at Championship level. Registering one meaningful shot at home against a mid-table team is simply unacceptable, as is Hurst's persistence in playing one up front - an acknowledgement before the game starts that we are not going to put pressure even on mediocre opposition. This is not the first time he has done this. When the lone striker is Sears, this verges on the absurd. Everything about the club at the moment, apart from the fans, is a betrayal of the legacy of Crawford, Wark, Beattie, Mills, Mariner, Brazil, Burley, Butcher, Wright, Dyer, Marcus Stewart, Bam Bam Naylor, David Johnson etc, etc. Even in the worst days under John Duncan, we at least attacked with some purpose. An away game to Leeds scarcely gives grounds for optimism. If you don't sack Hurst now and appoint Burley and Butcher, then we're facing depressing fixtures against Gillingham, Scunthorpe and Stevenage for God's sake. That is where we started in 1936 !! Marcus, are you happy with that ?

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blueboy1981 added 11:23 - Oct 21 chalky ....... totally agree with you. The only logical answer at this moment in time - at least the best would be obtained from what we've currently got. The key thing missing with Hurst is experience - the Burley / Butcher combo' have that, and could be put to good use. Certainly the right thing for the Club at this time - at least until the end of the season. Carry on as we are - and we all know where we'll be.

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blueboy1981 added 11:33 - Oct 21 Paul Hurst knows he has the safety of a pay off - you'll never put the ability, or the passion, in the direction it should automatically be. Evidence of such on the touchline, in the post match interviews, tactics, and team selection. Don't expect more - it isn't there.
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warktheline added 11:43 - Oct 21 If you were to ask McCarthy if in hindsight should he had left Ipswich 3 years earlier, the answer would undoubtedly be YES ( although I wouldn't expect him to admit it ! ) . He was ‘free wheeling' at a club that lacked any ambition or the willpower to progress! Unfortunately for McCarthy this period of ‘stagnation' has cost him! His reputation as a ‘decent Championship' Manager has diminished, still unemployed!!!!!....he may get lucky and get a ‘we're in trouble club' hovering in and around the Championship relegation zone, but no more! He's damaged ( played a part ) Ipswich and in doing so, damaged himself!

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thundercat600 added 12:26 - Oct 21 Webster, Waghorn and Garner an McGoldrick wanted out, now you can see why. They saw things going on when Hurst took over that rang alarm bells and they very quickly realised that this bloke and his lower league experience was out of his depth with training and tactics. They certainly made a wise move by moving on to better things
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 13:55 - Oct 21 Only one man can save us and we all know who that is. The lift at the club if he returned would be beyond monumental.
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SpiritOfJohn added 13:58 - Oct 21 Can someone please update the report with the fact that Gerken flapped the ball into his own net. I had an excellent view of the flight of the corner, and Luke Freeman's kick would not have gone in without Gerken's assistance. TWO positives from this shambolic performance: Dozzell played the full 90 minutes, and when Lankester came on we finally had 2 players in our team who could pass the ball to each other. Unfortunately, the rest looked like total strangers. Note for Chambers and Gerken: Murphy was sold over 2 years ago, why are you continuing to lump it forward? Sears had no chance to win the hoofballs you provided so frequently.

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midastouch added 14:37 - Oct 21 The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So therefore, please no more managers from Yorkshire or Ireland (although I'd make one exception for a certain Northern Irish manager who got sh*t on from a great height by Marcus Heavens Above) and certainly not any managers called Paul again either. And please no consulting David InComPleat or Harry Redtw*t, we don't want Sol Scramble or any other To*singham Hotspud rejects.

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Bergholtblue added 14:55 - Oct 21 Bookies rarely get things wrong. We were favourites to go down even before we appointed a new manager. Get Hurst out, but who can come in a sort this pile of sh*te out? The problem lies at the very top.
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Trac70 added 15:06 - Oct 21 Chambers would make a great ambassador for our club. In my opinion now is the time to do this. Let him carry on with his coaching badges and still be around to be that friendly, solid,reliable "father figure" to the squad. As for a solid & reliable player I think his days are over.
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chopra777 added 15:46 - Oct 21 Surely the principle of square pegs in round holes does not work. What are your results from the analysis say about your sport science after having lost 13 games and of 14. At least MM tried his best and won ugly at times. Surely you can motivate a team of mediocre players now playing in a league above their capabilities. Giant killing mentality has to be your only option to keep your butt from not being kicked by Evans. Evans your KPI have now failed. Do what is right for club NOW.

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shakytown added 15:48 - Oct 21 The simple fact is we have lost our best players and replaced them with third rate no hopers. What can you expect from league one and two players?????
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shakytown added 15:58 - Oct 21 It will be worse next season when get whacked by Scunthorpe and Wycombe and lord knows what Rochdale would do to this load of rubbish our useless manager has put together.
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muhrensweet4thijssen added 17:08 - Oct 21 Mr hippo. Wow let me assure you i dont my head in the sand. On the contrary I have information from people at the club who tell me that Evans is far from happy with things. Hurst has a clause in hursts co tract that no compensation will be paid he is unhappy at the complete change that has been initiated by Hurst. Bart has fallen.out with goalkeeper coach. Bust ups at training ground, evans has been there for days at a time trying to get to bottom of it. I also have it on good authority that evans has to sign off everything st club from a 2 million signing to the tiolet paper order! Not good in my opinion. if we are moaning saying how come he sells our best players for profit! Haven't all our chairman done that in order to keep the club going? From Cobbold, sheepshanks to Evans ? Dyer, dalian Atkinson, dozzell, mariner, wark, Scowcroft, Wright to name a few. We bought he 2 from Shrewsbury for 2 million, a million for Harrison, 2 million for Jackson, 750,000 for Edwards have we forgotten those? No I'm not sure he is the answer for the club I love but the point I'm making is that it's not entirely his fault either! Year on year this league gets harder and harder and we slip further and further behind. Treading water is in effect moving backwards. I don't know the answer I really wish I did. I have been a fan for 40 years thick and thin.

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