Goals from Morgan Fox and Sam Winnall saw Sheffield Wednesday
edge past QPR in their all-Championship Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round contest to
book their place in the Last 16 of the competition.
Hosts QPR came into this contest having defeated Leeds United at
Loftus Road and would have been confident of dispatching a side who had been
thrashed 5-0 at home by Blackburn Rovers only days previously.
However, Wednesday are four places above the R's in the
Championship table so this had the potential to be a tight affair with the
winners knowing they would reach the Final 16 of the competition.
Both
managers though made wholesale changes from those weekend games, but it was the
hosts who appeared to suffer the most as Wednesday edged the
opening period although up until late in the half had the one and only effort
that troubled either keeper in a half devoid of much goalmouth action it has to
be said.
But, with the half looking likely to end goalless, The Owls found
a breakthrough three minutes before the break when Sam Hutchinson's quick
throw-in caught out two home defenders and Fox collected possession
unchallenged in the penalty area to fire a left-footed effort under goalkeeper
Joe Lumley.
To be honest it was a deserved lead at the break for the hosts
who showed much more intensity than their opponents who were found lacking in
many departments in the opening forty five minutes and knew they had to improve
in the second period if they were to progress into the next round.
Half Time Queens Park Rangers 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1
So what did the hosts have then? Well initially not a lot changed
from the first period and Wednesday looked fairly comfortable, in fact the
hosts first effort on target didn't arrive until the 66th minute.
This sparked a spell from the hosts though and saw them create
some openings, the best ones seeing Owls defender Julian Borner denying R's
attacker Eberechi Eze with a superb tackle, and then seeing an Ilias Chair
effort go just wide of the left corner.
Wednesday were now having to do a lot of defending as the hosts
cranked up the pressure, but they were almost gifted a second when
miscommunication between keeper and defender almost allowed Nunu in to slot
home, but the defender just managed to challenge and clear.
Eze then saw an effort go straight at Cameron Dawson immediately
down the other end as the game had finally caught alight, but time was against
the hosts as they continued to search for the leveller.
This always left then vulnerable to the counter attack though, and
as the game entered stoppage time The Owls sealed their place in Round Five
when Adam Reach squared for Winnall to slot home from close-range and send the
noisy sizable Wednesday backing behind the goal wild.
The visitors though did then gift the hosts a small glimmer of
hope when sloppy play allowed Nahki Wells in to round Dawson and slide home.
And deep deep into added on time and with the home side looking
to complete a remarkable comeback, they sent a corner into the mix but after
the loose ball had fallen to them outside the box, the resulting effort flew
miles off target and the whistle went to confirm Wednesdays passage into the
next round.
Full Time Queens Park Rangers 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2
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