Sky Bet Championship

Queens Park Rangers 1 (Wells 20)

Leeds United 0

QPR: Kelly, Kane, Hall, Masterson, Wallace, Cameron, Amos (Scowen 74), Osayi-Samuel, Chair (Clarke 74), Eze, Wells (Pugh 83).  Subs not used: Ball, Manning, Barnes, Leistner.

Leeds: Casilla, Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas (Alioski 45), Phillips, Costa, Hernandez, Klich (Stevens 87), Harrison, Bamford.  Subs not used: Meslier, Struijk, McCalmont, Shackleton, Casey.

Booked: Wells, Masterton, Wallace, Cameron (QPR), Dallas, Hernandez, Ayling (Leeds)

Sent off: Phillips (Leeds)

Referee: P. Bankes

Venue: Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium

Attendance: 16,049 (2,973 Leeds)

A controversial Nahki Wells goal ensured Leeds United left the Kiyan Prince Stadium empty handed in the Sky Bet Championship.

Ebere Eze went close in the opening stages of the game when he broke into the Leeds box and forced Kiko Casilla into action, before Helder Costa broke forwards for Leeds and went down under a challenge from Lee Wallace in the QPR box, but referee Peter Bankes waved away the protests.

Patrick Bamford then tried to catch out QPR stopper Liam Kelly who was off his line.  He attempted a lobbed effort from the halfway line, but saw his attempt go wide.

Luke Amos saw a strike saved from the edge of the box for the Hoops, whilst Costa sent Luke Ayling to the byline and he set up Bamford, but the Leeds striker saw his effort blocked by the scrambling QPR defence.

The Whites almost broke the deadlock via an own goal following a Pablo Hernandez free kick.  His delivery came off QPR defender Conor Masterton and Kelly was able to tip the ball over the crossbar to keep the scores level.

QPR took the lead in the 20^th minute.  An Eze free kick from the edge of the Leeds box, hit both hands of Wells before the striker slotted home and the goal was allowed to stand, despite the protests from the Leeds team.

Leeds almost hit back six minutes later, Mateusz Klich got to the byline and found Bamford, but he was denied from a narrow angle by a good Kelly save.

A QPR counter attack led to Ilias Chair striking wide, before Wells fired wide after a Rangers free kick fell into his path.

Leeds had a great chance to level in the 35^th minute when Bamford was played in at goal, he attempted to lob Kelly, but got too much power behind his attempt which went over.

Half time: Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Leeds United

Marcelo Bielsa introduced Ezgjan Alioski at the break and the Whites made a positive start to the second period.  Liam Cooper headed just over following a Kalvin Phillips corner, whilst Jack Harrison made a good leap to meet Ayling’s cross, but couldn’t direct his header on target under pressure.

Ayling again created another good chance with a decent cross, this time Bamford could only head wide.

In the 61^st minute, Bamford did superbly to win the Whites a penalty, knocking the ball past Kelly before being felled.  He stepped up to take the spot kick, but he was denied by Kelly from 12 yards.

Phillips tried his luck with a long range effort which forced Kelly to parry and the QPR goalkeeper managed to claim the ball with Harrison ready to pounce.

The Whites continued to press and this time Harrison again went close when an Hernandez volley fell into his path after Phillips had delivered a corner, but he could only turn it wide.

Bamford couldn’t turn a Klich cross towards goal with his head in the 76^th minute, before Hernandez struck just inches wide with a free kick on the edge of the box.

Tempers flared in the closing stages and Leeds’ day went from bad to worse as Phillips was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle to round off a frustrating day for the Whites.

Full time: Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Leeds United