QPR held Aston Villa 1-1 at Loftus Road after scoring a late equaliser in the days only Premier League encounter. The home side made the better start to the game.
QPR striker Jay Bothroyd had a shot blocked by Richard Dunne. Mercurial attacker Adel Taarabt then curled a long range effort against the post.
QPR continued to dominate the game and Shaun Wright-Phillips and Taarabt both had close range efforts blocked by Villa defenders. Striker Jay Bothroyd also glanced a header wide before the break.
Villa’s attack was obviously missing England striker Darren Bent, who was out injured. They struggled to get going in the first half. Their biggest threat came when QPR keeper Paddy Kenny saved Barry Bannan’s free-kick in flamboyant style. Aston Villa looked far better in attack in the second period.
Villa had a good chance early in the second half as Fabian Delph latched onto a Barry Bannan ball and flicked an effort wide. The Villans were in control of the game by the time they took the lead in the 58th minute.
Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor had his shirt pulled in the penalty area by Hoops full-back Armand Traore and Scottish midfielder Barry Bannan made no mistake from the penalty spot.
Villa fans nearly had another reason to celebrate two minutes later as winger Charles N’Zogbia went close hitting the side netting with a superb effort. Bannan was then denied by a near post save by Paddy Kenny.
Rangers boss Neil Warnock decided it was time for a change and replaced striker Jay Bothroyd with new signing DJ Campbell. QPR winger Shaun Wright-Phillips was then denied by Villa keeper Shay Given.
QPR started pushing harder for an equaliser in the final 20 minutes of the game. QPR had strong penalty appeals turned down when Shaun Derry’s header seemed to strike Villa full-back Alan Hutton on the line in the penalty area. The referee however decided it wasn’t a penalty.
With Rangers looking for an equaliser they had another penalty appeal turned down. QPR again claimed that Alan Hutton had handled Tommy Smith’s cross in the area. Rangers hopes of claiming a point appeared to be dented in the 90th minute. Armand Traore was dismissed for a second bookable offence after lunging in on Villa winger Marc Albrighton.
QPR did find an equaliser deep into stoppage time though. QPR striker Helder Helguson put in a cross and Stephen Warnock attempted to clear the ball only for the ball to hit Richard Dunne and find its way past Shay Given. There was hardly any time for any other action and the game finished 1-1.
QPR will be happy to have gained a point having had a player sent-off but they will still be disappointed not to have made more of their chances. Aston Villa will be happy to have gained an away point but will also be disappointed having lost such a late goal. A point was a fair result all round though and this was a decent game for the neutral.
Did Aston Villa deserve to take maximum points?
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