QPR handed surprise defeat at Loftus Road by Huddersfield
Michael Beale’s men have been fast starters on home soil this season, netting 12 of their previous 14 goals on their own turf in the first half. That trend continued as the hosts raced into the lead inside the first 75 seconds.
Chris Willock found space on the left and pulled the ball back to expertly find Lyndon Dykes, giving the Scotland international a tap-in he couldn’t possibly miss.
QPR conceded from a set-piece en route to a disappointing defeat against West Brom on the weekend, and those demons continued to follow them as Huddersfield equalised inside the opening 10 minutes.
The home side failed to deal with a delivery into their box and Josh Ruffels was quickest to the loose ball, rifling a powerful volley into the far corner.
That was the 29-year-old’s first goal for the Terriers, but he’d netted again before the half hour mark in truly spectacular fashion. QPR again failed to clear a high ball into the area, and Ruffels showed incredible skill to lob the ball up with his back to goal, and strike an audacious bicycle kick that looped over a helpless Seny Dieng.
The pattern of the second half was established from the outset, as Huddersfield retreated and tried to hold what they had. Mark Fotheringham had clearly organised his side brilliantly, as their compact shape deprived the likes of Ilias Chair any space between the lines to create chances, as QPR often resorted to speculative efforts from range, few of which troubled Lee Nicholls.
Beale had well and truly taken the handbrake off with his substitutions, but that was leaving space for the Terriers to counter, and Sorba Thomas very nearly put the game to bed with a powerful strike that forced a brilliant save from Dieng.
The visitors weren’t made to pay for that missed chance, with a brace of late saves from Nicholls to deny Taylor Richards ensuring they won for the fourth time in the last six meetings with QPR.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Josh Ruffels (Huddersfield Town)
