QPR 1-0 Wycombe: Ilias Chair gets only goal against Chairboys
- Published
Queens Park Rangers lifted themselves four places into the top half of the Championship table as they finally saw off bottom club Wycombe Wanderers.
Chris Willock's brilliance set up the only goal of the game from Ilias Chair on 23 minutes to liven up a poor game.
From out on the right touchline, Willock wriggled his way past two defenders to get to the by-line and his low cross shaved the near post, before ricocheting back into the path of Chair, who forced it home on the goal-line.
Hoops top scorer Chair's strike settled the outcome against the Chairboys to earn QPR their fourth home win in five games, lifting them to 12th in the table.
His seventh goal of the season earned an eighth win since the turn of the year for Mark Warburton's side - a figure bettered in the Championship only by leaders Norwich City (10) and second-placed Watford (9).
It meant an unhappy return to Shepherds Bush for former Rangers favourite Gareth Ainsworth, whose Wycombe side suffered their fourth consecutive defeat.
The Chairboys have now scored just one goal in their last six games - a key factor in why they are five points adrift at the bottom and 12 points from safety - with just 11 games to go.
QPR's sixth win in nine matches - and their third clean sheet in five games after successive defeats by Barnsley and Bristol City - lifts them to within 11 points of sixth-placed Barnsley, still with an outside chance of a play-off place.
Rangers were close to a second goal when Charlie Austin fired over before Chair struck the post from Rob Dickie's pass, and Willock also hit the upright after a pull back from the left by Matt Wallace.
Scotland international Lyndon Dykes, on as a substitute for Austin, also had a chance, but sliced a shot wide from inside the penalty area.
QPR boss Mark Warburton:
"We closed it out but we've got to be more ruthless and more clinical.
"We got the goal and played some good football, but we've got to be more clinical in that final third.
"The second goal would have changed the dynamic of the game so much. But having not got the second goal, we stood up and got another clean sheet."
Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth:
"The moments of quality and that next level of player are just showing now.
"But again I'm really proud of the boys. We're learning so much at this level. We want to return to this level or stay there - either way these lessons are valuable.
"We're in every game, we're fighting hard and I couldn't be prouder of the boys. They've been fantastic this year."