QPR's Fifth Consecutive Loss: QPR 0 Wolves 1

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QPR 0 Wolves 1
QPR lost their fifth in a row to be in an increasing danger near the bottom. Today's crowd was just over 12,000. Wolves goal came in the 48th minute.

League Table -
Crystal Palace 23 26
Luton 23 26
QPR 23 24
Barnsley 23 23
Hull 23 20
Leeds 23 20
Southend 23 16
Table
QPR's starting lineup

John Gregory's Post Match Comments - QPR Official Site
GOALS CHANGE GAMES
John Gregory bemoaned the R's second half display after the 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Gregory said: "I was pleased with the first half display. 0-0 is always a good score at the break and the fact we restricted them to no chances of note was a huge confident boost going in to the second half.
"The goal changed the course of the game though. It knocked the stuffing out of us and we crept back into our shells.
"We went too long and that's not something I'm encouraging the players to do once we've gone a goal down.
"We had 40 minutes to find a goal, but we lacked patience.''
The defeat left Rangers just four points above the dreaded drop zone and Gregory admits it's a dogfight for survival: "We're in trouble - serious trouble.
"We enjoyed a period of brief respite when we jumped up to mid-table, but make no mistake; we're in big trouble now.''
Despite the loss - which arrived courtesy of Michael Kightly's 49th minute strike - Gregory praised three of his defenders, commenting: "Michael Mancienne and Simon Royce were outstanding, but you can't overlook Mauro Milanese either.
"Unfortunately, the fact I'm talking about two defenders and a keeper tells the story of the second half.'' QPR

WOLVES MANAGER - Wolves Official Site
Sprightly Kightly Off The Mark
The travelling Wolves fans saw a glimpse of Michael Kightly's scoring ability as the Gray's winger buried the only goal of today's game at QPR.
The on-loan 20-year-old could have claimed more but his manager is nonetheless delighted with the progress the player has made since joining the club.
Boss McCarthy gave his players a rocket at half time after they produced little in the first 45 minutes.
His words hit home and Wolves were far more productive in the second period.
Mick said: "The first half started fairly even but they got a foothold in the game and Matt (Murray) had to make some good saves.
"But, to be fair, we were doing more to harm ourselves than they were doing to us. We weren't competing or passing the ball about.
"I think the players got the message at half-time.
"Michael did well - but he should have had four!
"He's a lad that looks as though he's going to score - he looks like a good acquisition for us.
"It's a big step up for him but there are players who can do that. And from day one he has looked comfortable in training.
"He hasn't had really had his chance yet because Lewis Gobern has been playing well at home, but he offers us something different when we are away."
Wolves

QPR: Royce, Milanese, Rehman, Mancienne, Bignot, Rowlands, Smith, Gallen, Bircham, Blackstock, Jones. Subs: Cole, Ward, Baidoo, Bailey, Furlong.
Halftime 0-0

QPR Official Site - Match Report
Michael Kightly notched the only goal of the game, as Rangers succumbed to a fifth defeat on the spin.
The Wolves midfielder struck early in the second half to hand Mick McCarthy's men maximum points at Loftus Road.
The last time Rangers lost five matches in a row was some two years ago, when the R's ended 2004 in similar style, with five defeats on the spin.
It could have been a far different story however, if Rangers had made the most of the chances they created in the latter stages of the first half.
After 20 minutes of inactivity, the R's were sparked into life by Jimmy Smith, who escaped the offside trap to head straight at Matt Murray.
Buoyed by that chance, the R's dominated until the break, with Marc Bircham and Ray Jones calling Murray into action.
But it was Wolves who opened the scoring early in the second half, with Kightly taking one touch to control before firing past Simon Royce from 15-yards.
Rangers huffed and puffed as the clock ticked down, but it was Wolves who continued to create chances, with Royce on hand to produce one stunning save after another in the closing stages.
John Gregory recalled fans favourite Bircham to the starting X - the midfieder returning after six weeks on the sidelines with a niggling back injury.
Zesh Rehman and Jones also returned from suspension, at the expense of Damion Stewart and Marc Nygaard respectively.
Gregory again deployed the 3-5-2 formation that worked so well at the Britannia Stadium, as Rangers went gunning for a first victory in five Championship fixtures.
A Friday morning training session at Loftus Road appeared to have very little impact early on, with Rangers guilty of conceding possesion all too often, allowing the visitors' central midfield pairing of Seyi George Olofinjana and Darren Potter plenty of time to orchestrate the play.
In truth, Wolves struggled to make the most of their early possession, with Royce - like his opposite number Matt Murray - a mere spectator in the opening 20 minutes.
When the first opening eventually arrived on 21 minutes, it inevitably fell to the hardworking Smith.
Buoyed by penning a six month extension to his loan contract with the R's just hours before kick-off, Smith arrived bang-on-cue to meet Bircham's impromptu header back into the box, only to nod straight at Murray from six-yards.
Moments later is was the returning Bircham who let fly, smashing a 25-yard right foot drive that whistled inches wide of Murray's right hand post, with the keeper seemingly beaten all ends up.
It was all Rangers by now and when Gary Breen and Murray got themselves in a horrible muddle, Martin Rowlands pounced on the latters' punch, only to loft the ball inches over the bar.
The R's were creating chances at will now and when Jones rose above a static Wolves defence to meet Smith's free-kick on 35 minutes, only a splendid tip over from Murray denied the Rangers front-man.
Jones was been gifted plenty of time and space, but after escaping the attentions of Breen and Jody Craddock on the stroke of half-time, his shot lacked pace and accuracy, falling wide of Murray's right hand post.
Jones picked up where he left off at the start of the second half, firing a fierce downward volley on target, which Murray did well to tip to safety, under pressure from Dexter Blackstock and fellow defender Mark Little.
Unbelievably, it was Wolves who opened the scoring a minute later, from their first notable attack of the contest.
Michael McIndoe roamed free down the left flank and when his cut-back was only half cleared by the otherwise outstanding Michael Mancienne, Kightly pounced to send a fearsome 12-yard strike past the outstretched Royce.
As the R's attempted to find an avenue back into the contest, Dexter Blackstock headed straight at Murray, while at the other end, Royce produced a splendid full stretch save to divert Kightly's deflected effort wide of the post.
Kightly was leading the R's defence a merry dance and when he dispossed Mancienne on the hour, he was through one on one with just Royce to beat. Inexplicably however, he got his lines horribly wrong, opting for a pass instead of a shot, and with it, squandering the chance to put the game to bed.
Wolves were creating chances at will and when Darren Potter picked up possession 25-yards from goal, Royce had to produce yet more heroics, flinging himself full stretch to his left to tip round the Liverpool loanee's stinging drive.
Sensing the game was slipping from their grasp, Gregory introduced Paul Furlong at the expense of the tiring Bircham midway through the half.
His introduction prompted a change in formation, as the R's switched back to the tried and tested 4-4-2.
Despite the reshuffle, it was Wolves who continued to pile forward, breaking at pace at every given opportunity, with Kightly forcing Royce into another flying save in the 75th minute.
QPR: Royce, Milanese, Rehman, Mancienne, Bignot, Rowlands, Smith, Gallen, Bircham (Furlong 65), Blackstock, Jones. Subs: Cole, Ward, Baidoo, Bailey.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Murray, Olofinjana, Breen, Craddock, McNamara, Bothroyd, Potter, Davies (Clarke 75), Little, McIndoe, Kightly.
Subs: Oakes, Edwards, Johnson, Ricketts.
Scorers: Kightly 48 Bookings: Breen 58, Clarke 90
Attendance: 12, 323 Referee: Mr C J Foy QPR

WOLVES OFFICIAL SITE MATCH REPORT
QPR 0 Wolves 1 (Kightly 49)
Michael Kightly was the hero of the day, scoring the only goal of the game in only his second start for Wolves.
The visitors produced little in the first half but scored a goal early in the second period, and managed to hang on to take all three points at QPR this afternoon.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy made four changes to the team that lost to Leicester. In came Darren Potter for the suspended Karl Henry, Kightly for the injured Lewis Gobern, Craig Davies for Jemal Johnson and Jackie McNamara, making his first appearance of the season, for Jamie Clapham.
Despite a lively start from both sides, there was little action of note until Jimmy Smith weaved his way into the Wolves are on 19 minutes. Gary Breen was alert for Wolves and denied the QPR man a striking chance.
A free kick by Mauro Milanese on 22 minutes left Smith unmarked only to head the ball directly into the body of Matt Murray. The move gave the hosts a boost as the pace of the game warmed up.
Three minutes later, Marc Bircham came close with a powerful drive from just outside the box. Then, on the half hour mark, Bircham tried to lob Murray who had left his line, but the effort landed on the roof of the net.
Murray was again in action on 37 minutes, tipping a header from Ray Jones over the bar.

H-T: QPR 0 Wolves 0
Wolves were immediately under pressure at the start of the second half, with Jones again the danger man. But it was Kightly who struck gold with Wolves' first shot on target. The Gray's loanee controlled the ball in the area before stabbing it past Simon Royce to give the visitors an unlikely lead.
The busy Kightly had another effort on 57 minutes - his deflected strike forcing a good save from Royce.
On the hour, Gary Breen was booked for blatantly pulling the shirt of the advancing Jones.
The Gray's man then unselfishly tried to square a ball to Potter in front of goal but his pass went straight to a QPR defender.
Suddenly it was all Wolves with Potter trying a long range strike that won his side a corner on 62 minutes.
Leon Clarke replaced Davies on 76 minutes and almost immediately forced a flying save from Royce.
Clarke and Kightly combined to put Royce under pressure - the striker having a shot before the rebound was put over the bar by Jody Craddock.
Michael McIndoe and then Jay Bothroyd had efforts go over the bar at the end of a productive second half for Wolves.
Bothroyd was booked for kicking the ball away.
Full report to follow. Wolves

SPORTING LIFE/PA Sports QPR 0 Wolves 1 By Tom Collomosse
Michael Kightly scored his first goal in league football to seal victory for Wolves and condemn QPR to a fifth straight defeat.
Kightly was signed recently from Conference club Grays Athletic and repaid manager Mick McCarthy's belief in him by firing in the only goal four minutes into the second half.
Wolves were poor in the first half but improved greatly after the break, and Kightly could have had a hat-trick - but his contribution was enough to give Wolves their fourth away win in the Coca-Cola Championship this season.
Rangers created chances, but lacked quality going forward, and John Gregory's men look as though they will face a long fight against relegation after tasting defeat at home for the sixth time this season.
A dire first half was notable only for two fine saves by Wolves goalkeeper Matt Murray, who showed excellent reflexes to keep out headers from Jimmy Smith - who today extended his loan spell from Chelsea until the end of the season - and Rangers contract rebel Ray Jones, who had been recalled to the team after suspension.
But the match came to life at the start of the second period, as Wolves took the lead with their first genuine shot of the game in the 49th minute.
Jay Bothroyd released Michael McIndoe on the left and, when the winger crossed, Kightly held off Mauro Milanese before guiding home a left-footed volley from 15 yards for his first goal for the club.
Rangers continued to create chances, with Jones seeing a volley kept out by a combination of Murray and Jody Craddock just before Kightly's goal, and Dexter Blackstock heading Martin Rowlands' cross straight at Murray.
But Wolves looked a different team from the lethargic side which had contested the first period, and they should have scored at least one more goal in the early stages of the half.
Simon Royce did superbly to palm the ball away after Kightly's shot had deflected off the impressive Michael Mancienne, and then Kightly should have scored after a Rangers mix-up sent him clean through in the 61st minute.
However the midfielder tried to set up Darren Potter, and Zesh Rehman got back to clear.
Potter - on a year's loan from Liverpool - then struck a vicious 25-yard effort which once more brought the best from Royce.
Kightly came close late on with another volley, and Royce saved from Bothroyd as Wolves threatened to score their second. Sporting Life

QPR Official Site Pre-Match
Lee Cook misses out again, but fans favourite Marc Bircham returns to the R's starting XI for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers to Loftus Road.
The 28 year-old midfielder - who has been sidelined with a niggling back injury since the 3-2 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in mid-October - returns to the fray at the expense of Stefan Bailey.
John Gregory keeps faith with the 3-5-2 formation deployed at the Britannia Stadium last weekend, although there are three changes in personnel.
Zesh Rehman returns from suspension to partner Michael Mancienne and Mauro Milanese in the back three, with Damion Stewart ruled out with the fractured jaw he sustained in a freak training ground accident earlier in the week.
Bircham lines up alongside Kevin Gallen and Jimmy Smith in midfield, with Martin Rowlands and Marcus Bignot occupying the left and right wing-back roles respectively.
With Marc Nygaard ruled out with the ankle injury he picked up against Stoke, Ray Jones returns to partner Dexter Blackstock in attack.
Karl Henry misses out for Wolves due to suspension, while hot-shots Jemal Johnson and Leon Clarke are amongst the Wanderers substitutes.
QPR: Royce, Milanese, Rehman, Mancienne, Bignot, Rowlands, Smith, Gallen, Bircham, Blackstock, Jones. Subs: Cole, Ward, Baidoo, Bailey, Furlong.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Murray, Olofinjana, Breen, Craddock, McNamara, Bothroyd, Potter, Davies, Little, McIndoe, Kightly. Subs: Oakes, Edwards, Johnson, Clarke, Ricketts. QPR