Rampant Hull City make it three straight wins with QPR away success

In-form Hull City notched their third straight win for the first time since February with a thrilling 3-1 win at QPR, their first success in London since 2021 at the ninth attempt.

A dramatic first half saw City start poorly, live a charmed life but score twice in the space of 11 minutes through Cody Drameh and Chris Bedia to lead 2-0 before Rangers pulled one back before the break courtesy of Nicolas Madsen’s penalty kick after Lewie Coyle was penalised for handball.

Liam Millar’s first City goal made it 3-1 with 20 minutes to go when he cut inside and at the second attempt, guided his effort into the bottom corner.

A frantic, breathless encounter at Loftus Road could have seen City behind before they took the lead, but their assistance on attacking is now bearing fruit, with Rangers torn to pieces at times. Though without goalkeeper Pandur, the tale could have been very different, but on they go and their momentum is growing.

Manager Walter made a trio of changes to the side that thumped Cardiff City 4-1 on Saturday, with Xavier Simons, Kasey Palmer and Liam Millar coming in to replace Oscar Zambrano, Marvin Mehlem and Abdus Omur who all dropped to the bench. Despite limping off with an ankle injury before the hour on Saturday, Mohamed Belloumi was fit to start.

After a bright first few seconds from the delayed kick-off, City were caught inside their own box when Drameh stopped, thinking Dembele had handballed it, play went on and came out to Sam Field outside the box who thumped in a fierce volley which Pandur blocked, and more impressively, was alert to the follow-up to deny Lucas Anderson.

A rip-roaring start continued when Coyle allowed Koki Saito to race in off the flank to the middle of the box and fire low which Pandur got down to turn behind, and he was tested again moments later with a more regulation save, but that was four big saves in the first six minutes from the Croatian.

City were hanging on, their defending leaving a lot to be desired, but their goalkeeper was up to the task to keep his side on terms in the opening 15 minutes, Simons was booked for a silly foul right outside his own box, which, thankfully, amounted to nothing, and that seemed to wake the Tigers up.

Their breakthrough midfield saw Belloumi try to find Bedia inside right channel, but Cook came over to clear behind at the expense of a corner, from which the Tigers, for the first time this season, scored first in a game. Slater’s shot deflected into the path of Drameh who let rip with a fizzing drive into the bottom corner 25 minutes in. Against the run of play somewhat, the Tigers had the lead, and as they say, goals change games.

QPR were rocking, the crowd now flat, and City looking to exploit their hosts and they did just that, doubling their advantage 11 minutes later when their pressure finally told, Coyle inside the box laying it on a plate for Bedia to tap in the net. The first half of a lively encounter wasn’t done there. A soft free-kick against Drameh on the edge of the box led to Coyle being penalised for handball, and it needed Madsen to smack the penalty in off the bar to beat Pandur, so good was he in the first period.

A rather robust challenge in added time before the interval on Belloumi could have seen awarded a spot-kick of their own, but referee Thomas Kirk waved away those protests.

Rangers made a change at the break with Zan Celar replacing Frey and he almost leveled it up early in the second period with a glancing header wide from a teasing Saito cross, coming after McLoughlin had been flattened by a shot which hit him square in the face, though the home fans didn’t appreciate referee halting play while he had treatment.

Having failed to heed their first half warnings, the lively Saito was allowed to run off the left side towards the box and angle a shot which beat Pandur, and thankfully, clipped the outside of the post.

In a bid to get his side into the second half, Walter made a double change two minutes before the hour with Oscar Zambrano and Marvin Mehlem replacing Slater and Palmer.

Having rode their luck, seen both Jones and McLoughlin booked, the Tigers recovered and extended their lead with 20 minutes to go when Millar made it 3-1, having seen his initial shot blocked, he picked it up and guided it into the net for his first Tigers goal.

In a bid to recover an increasingly bleak situation, QPR brought on Ilias Chair, so often the thorn in City’s side as he continues his recovery from injury. City kept pushing for a fourth and came close when Simon’s angled effort dropped inches wide, moments after Coyle’s gallop ended with the cross landing straight in the grateful hands of goalkeeper Nardi.

More changes followed for Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes, who penned a new contract on the eve of the game, but the winless home start to the campaign continued while Walter was able to send on Mason Burstow, Steven Alzate and Abdus Omur in the final seconds, with City winning at Loftus Road for the first time since December 2019, and their first success in London since beating AFC Wimbledon on the way to the League One title.