QPR vs Sheffield Wednesday - Additional Match Reports

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UPDATED:

Mirror - Dave Lewis - QPR 0-0 Sheff Wed
At the end of a bleak week for English football, down in a small corner of west London there was a sign of what Italian ingenuity might offer were Fabio Capello installed as the Three Lions' new boss.
Queens Park Rangers boss Luigi De Canio is no Capello - far from it.
But after just four games in charge at Loftus Road, the man who counts Napoli and Udinese among 11 clubs on his coaching resume has bid arrivederci to the long ball and opted for technique over toil.
While Rangers remain in the bottom three of the Championship - they are playing with a purpose and poise straight from the Serie A academy of the football sciences.
And by this measure alone they will surely soon be ascending into calmer seas. Only the woodwork - four times - and the goalkeeping heroics of the Owls' Lee Grant and his opposite number Lee Camp kept this scoreless.
And on an afternoon cold enough to give an Eskimo hypothermia, there were smiles on the faces of fans - and both coaches.
"I just want everybody to enjoy it here, the players the fans," said De Canio, whose faltering English still needs the aid of an interpreter.
"We won't be in the bottom three for long."
After a week also memorable for Scott Carson's entry into the bloopers yearbook, there was a reminder from his brethren that English keepers can excel under fire.
After denying Scott Sinclair and Dexter Blackstock with breathtaking stops, former England Under-21 keeper Grant said: "I felt for Scott.
"He's a very good goalkeeper who didn't deserve that. He has done brilliantly at Villa and he'll bounce back."
The boardroom unrest which pre-empted the sudden exit of chairman Dave Allen four days ago did nothing to dampen Wednesday's ability to continue their drive away from trouble.
Akpo Sodje and Burton O'Brien were left to curse the woodwork, while Sinclair, on loan from Chelsea until December, hit the post for Rangers and Mikele Leigertwood headed against the bar. Mirror

The People - Sinclair a bright spark for Luigi - QPR 0 Sheff Weds 0 -By Dave Lewis
Rangers remain trapped in the bottom three after a match that was goalless but never soulless.
Luigi De Canio's men, with just one defeat in eight games, did everything but score and on this evidence will soon be climbing the table.
So will the cash-strapped Owls. They were rocked by the surprise resignation of chairman Dave Allen two days ago but still look good enough to continue their climb away from the danger zone.
Resplendent in orange, Wednesday looked like Holland in disguise. But that was where the similarity ended as Brian Laws' side are more gritty than they are gripping.
Yet only the underside of the crossbar prevented the visitors from taking the lead through Akpo Sodje's header after just six minutes.
Darting dangerman Scott Sinclair, on loan from Chelsea, was the Rangers catalyst as they turned up the tempo just before the break.
The teenager hit a post with a rasping left-footer after a brilliantly turning American Frankie Simek.
Then Dexter Blackstock, back from a seven-week injury absence, sent a header against the Owls' bar.
The woodwork was shaken again by Wednesday's Burton O'Brien on the hour - before Sinclair brought a stunning save from Lee Grant with 17 minutes left.
Qpr: Camp 7 - *MANCIENNE 8, Barker 6, Stewart 6, Malcolm 5 (Timoska, 65mins,5) - Sinclair 7, Leigertwood 7, Buzsaky 7, Rowlands 6 - Vine 6, Blackstock 6 (Nygaard, 83mins).
Sheff Wed: Grant 6 - Simek 5, M Johnson 5, Hinds 6, Spurr 6 - *J JOHNSON 8 (Small, 80mins), Watson 6, Folly 6, O'Brien 5 ~ Sodje 7 (Burton, 57mins, 6), Tudgay 6. Ref: J Beeby 6. The People

QPR's De Canio magic works wonders
Luigi De Canio has given a kiss of life to a Rangers club that was stricken by internal politics and heading for relegation.
After Scott Sinclair hit the post and had another effort saved by Lee Grant, manager De Canio said: "I was impressed by Scott but in a match like this I said well done to everyone."
Wednesday hit the woodwork twice and boss Brian Laws said: "It was an excellent match. We've put our nightmare start behind us." Mail

Mail - QPR's Grant denies great Scott
Scott Sinclair should have scored at least one goal from an afternoon of brilliant attacking football.
The Rangers forward, on loan from Chelsea, once again showed great acceleration and shooting power. He twice went desperately close, first hitting the foot of the post and then being denied by the athleticism of Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant.
This was as good as it gets for the Championship, a superb match between two teams with different agendas — Wednesday to make the play-offs — Rangers simply to survive. On this evidence, they will both achieve their targets.
Wednesday hit the woodwork twice, first from Akpo Sodje's sixth-minute header and then when substitute Burton O'Brien curled the ball against the angle on the hour. Mail

See Also: Earlier Compilation of Reports and Comments re QPR vs Sheffield Wednesday