Cardiff City 2 - 1 Q.P.R. Match Report

Last updated : 26 August 2017 By Michael Morris

Cardiff made it five straight Sky Bet Championship wins with a 2-1 victory over QPR.

Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock could not have wished for a better start to the new season, his team go into the international break with a perfect record so far this term.

The Welsh side came from behind after Matt Smith opened the scoring but they fully deserved the three points as Junior Hoilett and Sol Bamba turned the contest around.

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Ipswich's defeat at home to Fulham means Warnock's men stay top of the pile. For a club that has underachieved for too long, there seems belief at Cardiff they can do something special this year. Cardiff went into the game having not conceded a league goal at home so far this season - but that impressive record was ruined within 15 minutes.

After home defender Lee Peltier was lucky to escape without a card for an elbow on Josh Scowen, it was the visitors who moved ahead. Luke Freeman's cross was not collected by Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and the imposing Smith capitalised to head home.

Junior Hoilett starred against his former employeers
Junior Hoilett starred against his former employeers

The Bluebirds had started sloppily, but they were soon handed an equaliser on a plate. It was a dreadful goal for QPR to concede. Nedum Onuoha's backpass to Alex Smithies put the goalkeeper in trouble and his clearance rebounded off the charging Hoilett and into the back of the net.

Hoilett then saw what would have been his second goal of the day ruled out - but it failed to stop the Bluebirds from coming behind to lead at the break.

After Jamie Mackie had struck the Cardiff post, the Bluebirds quickly went up the other end and Bamba - who has signed a new three-year deal in the Welsh capital - headed home Hoilett's corner just before the half-time whistle.

Hoilett had yet another strike ruled out at the beginning of the second half for a push - but the early stages of the game's resumption saw Cardiff dominate.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Kenneth Zohore continued their fine form and Hoilett's set-pieces peppered the QPR box. Sean Morrison headed a Joe Ralls free-kick at Smithies but, with the visitors struggling to get a foothold in attack, a second away goal looked unlikely.

Zohore's strike from a Mendez-Laing cross was saved and then the Danish striker shot over the bar when he perhaps could have done better. QPR introduced Idrissa Sylla and Yeni Ngbakoto in search of a way back into the game, but to little impact as Cardiff did more than just hold on for another three points.

Cardiff City: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett, Ralls, Gunnarsson, Damour (Ward 82), Mendez-Laing, Hoilett (Manga 90), Zohore.

Subs not used : Murphy, Richards, Halford, Tomlin, Bogle.

Goals: Hoilett 22, Bamba 45

Queens Park Rangers: Smithies, Furlong, Bidwell, Onuoha, Caulker (Wszolek 72), Freeman, Luongo, Scowen, Smith, Washington (Ngbakoto 71), Mackie (Sylla 61).

Subs not used: Ingram, Robinson, Baptiste, Lua Lua.

Goals: Smith 15

Referee: Mr S Hooper

Attendance: 18, 520