Queens Park Rangers vs Luton Town FC (6th Jan 2025)

06/01/2025 QPR 2-1 LUTON

Town fall to defeat at Loftus Road

Hatters' hard luck on the road continues at Loftus Road

A fortunate second-half winner from QPR’s Morgan Fox condemned the Town to their 10th successive away defeat on the road. The Rangers defender inadvertently diverted Ilias Chair’s strike beyond the reach of Thomas Kaminski to break Hatters hearts away from Kenilworth Road once more.

After trailing to Michael Frey’s 24th-minute opener the Hatters went in level at the break thanks to a bullet header from Mark McGuinness.

The Hatters started the second half in the ascendancy only to then fall behind to Fox’s goal.

Rangers spurned a number of chances to add to their advantage, but the Town came close to snatching a late leveller when McGuinness came close with another towering header but time ran out and the Hoops held out.

Lamine Fanne was given his debut in one of three changes to the side that lost at home to Norwich on New Year’s Day.

But it was the home side that forced the first chance in the seventh minute when free Frey’s header from close range was clawed away by Thomas Kaminski.

And the Hatters had their goalkeeper to thank for a fantastic save on 19 minutes when he threw up a hand to somehow keep out Jimmy Dunne’s header. Dunne then fired the loose ball over the crossbar when it seemed harder to miss.

Five minutes later, however, Rangers were not to be denied when Frey outmuscled Reuell Walters at the back-post and guided a finish past Kaminski from an acute angle.

Behind, back came the Hatters. And on 29 minutes Tahith Chong teed up Amari’i Bell to fire a shot that was blocked. Chong and Zack Nelson could not find the finishing touch as the ball broke free before Rangers then charged down efforts from Carlton Morris and Liam Walsh.

Marvelous Nakamba swept a shot over the bar two minutes before the break but, on the stroke of half-time, the Town were level. Chong won a corner from the right that was swung in by Nelson and McGuinness rose the highest in the whole of West London to nod home his second goal of the season the day after his 24th birthday.

The Hatters came out where they left off at the start of the second period with Walsh and Lamine Famine going close inside a two-minute spell.

And as the Town began to get on top, Lamine Fanne slipped at the crucial moment when firing a shot at goal on 55 minutes.

However, a stoppage in play while Rangers’ Paul Smyth received treatment quelled the Hatters’ momentum and from a short free-kick, Fox – appearing to jump out of the way of Chair’s shot – cannoned off the left-back’s trailing foot, flat-footing Kaminski with the ball rolling agonisingly over the line.

The Hatters came close to level almost immediately when Morris’ back-post header was kept out well by Rangers keeper Paul Nardi.

But Rangers should have the three points wrapped up when spurning three chances in the space of four minutes with Alfie Lloyd guilty of missing two of those, including one which pinged off the foot of the post.

Rob Edwards rolled the dice late on, using five substitutes, and the Town almost earned a point in the third minute of seven added on when McGuinness met Walsh’s corner – only for the defender’s header to whiz inches over the bar and that was that.

Town: Kaminski, Walters (sub Clark 85), Bell, McGuinness, Holmes (sub Hashioka 85), Chong, Nakamba (sub Adebayo 74), Lamine Fanne (sub Woodrow 85), Walsh, Nelson (sub Brown 77), Morris.

Subs not used: Krul, Andersen, Krauß, Mpanzu.

Attendance: 14,025, including 1,010 shouting for the Town.

Ten straight defeats on the road for Luton as Fox's fluke hands QPR victory

Championship: QPR 2 Luton Town 1

When it rains it pours for Luton boss Rob Edwards as he saw his side stretch their unwanted run of away defeats to double figures, losing to one of the flukiest goals Town will concede all season in a 2-1 defeat at QPR this evening.

With the visitors level at 1-1 and finally in the ascendancy, playing some exciting football on the road for the first time in what feels like all season, they were then breached in hugely fortuitous fashion on 62 minutes, Ilias Chair’s free kick from range cannoning off the unaware Morgan Fox to drastically alter its destination. With Thomas Kaminski having moved to his left, the Belgian tried to change direction only to stumble and fall, as the ball dribbled over the line for what turned out to be the deciding goal of the contest.

From then on, there was only one winner, the R's unlucky not to add more in the closing stages, as Town's battle to stay in the Championship this term took yet another huge blow. Earlier, summer signing Lamine Fanne was handed an immediate start for the Hatters, one of three changes made by their severely under pressure manager in a bid to end their away day hoodoo.

He was joined by Liam Walsh, the midfielder coming straight back into the XI after serving his four match ban for a second red card, with Marvelous Nakamba rewarded for his excellent showing in the 1-0 defeat to Norwich City, Elijah Adebayo, Jordan Clark and Tom Krauss all dropping to the bench. Despite flipping to a back four once more, Luton looked ill at ease aerially inside their own box, as they should have been trailing with just seven minutes gone, as the perennially dangerous Chair cut in from the left flank and swung the perfect cross over for Michael Frey.

As Tom Holmes screamed for an offside that never was, Amari'i Bell clearly playing him on, the German forward put his inviting close range header straight at Kaminski who was able to gratefully parry away. Chair had an ambitious crack of his own, his attempt meant with a gleeful response from the visiting supporters behind the goal.

The hosts then had to score in the 20th minute, as another ball in from the left saw defender Jimmy Dunne left unattended to power his header goalwards. Kaminski made a quite brilliant stop, tipping onto the bar but when the rebound dropped for the R's defender to just tuck into the empty net, he somehow ended up firing high into the night sky.

Town didn't heed the warnings though as on 24 minutes, Rangers attacked down the right, with Frey starting the move and then ambling into the box where he was positioned to meet Chair's delivery. Up against Walters, the Luton defender appeared to be favourite to clear, but, under pressure, could only flick his header against the forward who volleyed the dropping ball into the net off the inside of the post.

Fearing a referee's whistle for what might have been a foul, which on second viewing could have been a handball instead, he barely celebrated a second goal against Luton this season, but despite the odd murmur of complaint from the visitors, it was given, Frey eventually unveiling his kneeslide. Town almost responded straight away to the opener, Tahith Chong linking well with Carlton Morris to burst into the box and pull the ball back for Bell whose shot was blocked near the line.

Zack Nelson, who had scored his only senior goal at this venue earlier in the campaign, couldn't turn in the loose ball as it was cleared as far as Walsh whose blast was charged down. Just before the break, Nelson, who had been one of Luton's few positives to take from the half went on a foray down the left to beat two men and pull the ball back to Nakamba in a good position, the Zimbabwean disappointingly skying his effort, as his wait for a first ever Town goal continues.

Nelson did get his assist in first half stoppage time though, the midfielder sending over an outswinging corner that saw Mark McGuinness take to the air in sensational fashion to power his downward header into the corner of the net and make it 1-1. Boosted by the leveller, Luton made a positive start after the break, some neat passing seeing Nelson motor forward, brought down by Jonathan Varane for a free kick and booking, Walsh seeing his set-piece blocked by the wall.

The midfielder had another effort blocked away as he looked to begin his redemption arc, as now enjoying their best spell of the game, Walsh's header was impudently backheeled by Morris for Fanne who appeared destined to mark his debut with a goal, only to slip and get underneath his shot. Luton continued to play some of their best stuff on the road all campaign in the early stages of the second period, with the passing now crisp and precise.

Another move out from the back led to Fanne showing his athletic qualities once more, striding away and slamming off target from 20 yards with men up in support. Undone just after the hour mark courtesy of Fox’s deflection, Edwards’ side might have hit back within 60 seconds, a deep free kick met by Morris at the far post, Nardi repelling his header, as Town continued to be a real threat from set-pieces, McGuiness unable to double his tally from another well-flighted delivery.

The R's should have been out of sight on 70 minutes when McGuinness's backpass was woefully short, as sub Alfie Lloyd was left clean through on Kaminski, his dinked finish looking in all the way until it bounced awkwardly wide. He could have wrapped the game up moments later, Walters with an ill-judged header that bounced up for him as he unleashed a volley that cracked the outside of the post.

Kaminski then came to the rescue himself to prevent it being 3-1, getting down smartly to deny a low shot, as Luton swapped things up for the final five minutes, Clark, Cauley Woodrow and Daiki Hashioka all entering the fray. It didn't alter proceedings though, Chair almost putting the result beyond doubt curling inches wide. Drawing on their set-piece prowess, Luton should really have escaped with a point in stoppage time, Adebayo's stretching toepoke picked up by Nardi, who should have been retrieving the ball from the back of the net when McGuinness leapt like a salmon once more, only to this time put it over.

R's: Paul Nardi, Jimmy Dunne, Sam Field ©, Ilias Chair, Paul Smyth (Koki Saito 61), Michael Frey (Alfie Lloyd 69), Morgan Fox, Harrison Ashby (Jack Colback 60), Kieran Morgan (Jake Clarke-Salter 88), Kenneth Paal, Jonathan Varane (Ronnie Edwards 60).

Subs not used: Joe Walsh, Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Nicolas Madsen, Rayan Kolli.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Reuell Walters (Daiki Hashioka 86), Tom Holmes (Jordan Clark 86), Mark McGuinness, Amari’i Bell, Tahith Chong, Zack Nelson (Jacob Brown 77), Liam Walsh, Marvelous Nakamba (Elijah Adebayo 74), Lamine Fanne (Cauley Woodrow 86), Carlton Morris (C).

Subs not used: Tim Krul, Tom Krauß, Mads Andersen, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu,

Referee: Andy Davies.

Booked: Varane 49, Chong 55.

Attendance: 14,025 (1,010 Hatters).

Edwards left wondering what Luton have done wrong to be punished by freak QPR winner

Fox deflects free kick into the net as R’s take all three points

Luton boss Rob Edwards was left wondering just what he has done to deserve the luck that went against him and his side during this evening’s 2-1 defeat to QPR.

After the R’s wasted two glorious chances early on, the visitors then fell behind with 24 minutes on the clock, Michael Frey getting the better of Reuell Walters at the back post to turn his volley beyond Thomas Kaminski. However, the goal should in fact have been ruled out for an accidental handball by the Swiss striker, the ball striking his left arm before the finish, as he clearly knew something was up, not celebrating until seeing referee Andy Davies had pointed to the centre circle.

Then, when Mark McGuinness levelled with a towering header on the stroke of half time, Luton were the better team in the opening stages of the second period until Ilias Chair’s 62nd minute effort from range struck the unwitting Morgan Fox which left Thomas Kaminski wrongfooted, going on to bobble over the line for proved to be the winner.

It meant Luton were condemned to a fourth successive defeat and have now lost all of their last 10 fixtures on the road, as discussing the goals, Edwards said: “The way we conceded both, an element of handball in the first and obviously a great deal of luck in the second. It feels like we've been here before doesn’t it and really, really tough to take. I think it was a handball. We’re not in the Premier League and we don’t get the benefit of VAR, so handball, a deflection, it just seems to be that’s the way it’s going at the moment. I’m looking up and thinking, ‘what we have we done to be punished like this?’”

Edwards was also disappointed by the build-up to what proved to be the decisive strike, as QPR attacker Paul Smyth suffered a cut to his eye after being caught by Amari’i Bell. Rather than being told to stay off the pitch to receive treatment, the officials let him come back on, as he then immediately sat down on the turf once Town had given away a free-kick which saw the physios called on.

It meant R’s boss Marti Cifuentes had time to make two changes, which included withdrawing Smyth, as his side scored from the set-piece they had been awarded, with Edwards continuing: "It's really frustrating when Smyth is down for ages and is on the touchline, he's allowed then to come into the middle of the pitch to receive treatment, for them to make subs and it slowed the whole thing down.

"That shouldn't happen. He should just be taken off, make sure he's all right obviously, get the treatment, but off the pitch, get the game going. I don't think the free kick happens that way then as it would have been different, they would have had less bodies on the pitch. So I thought that was poor from the officials and then the goal just seems to be the way we're going at the moment.”

Despite being beaten again, Edwards had yet again been pleased with the majority of what he had witnessed, adding: “The lads gave everything, I thought minus a couple of poor bits in the first half where we didn't mark in the box, which we went through a lot, that's the reason why we've probably played a back five a lot, you can see why, but minus those mistakes there, there was not a lot in the game.

"I thought we created one or two big moments, got the goal, 1-1 at half time, great. We started the second half brilliantly, we were on top and playing really well, in the ascendancy and that's when we've got to try and strike, we’ve got to score in that moment, but we couldn’t.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCj0Ni9PbDA – Rob Edwards post match

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNGxtIQeRy0 – match highlights