Report: Town 2-0 QPR

Two goals from second half substitute Jon Stead lifted Town from 13th to 8th in the Championship and extended Town's unbeaten run to 11 matches.

Town made one change from the draw with Charlton, David Norris returned in place of Jon Stead who was dropped to the bench.

The game started at a high tempo, Owen Garvan finding himself in the referees book inside five minutes for a foul on Lee Cook. QPR had the first chance of the game, his shot from the edge of the area was well struck but straight at Town ‘keeper Richard Wright.

An Owen Garvan free-kick caused problems for the QPR defence, Garvan whipped the ball in towards the back post where Gareth McAuley was just inches away from making contact with his head.

QPR hit the bar after 15 minutes, Daniel Parejo curling a free-kick into the Town area beating Richard Wright but hitting the cross-bar. Richard Wright pulled off a top drawer save in the 17th minute when Martin Rowlands was left unmarked and able to head downwards towards the goal, Wright getting low with his left hand to push the ball out. Wright was again called into action after 31 minutes, Daniel Parejo's free kick again needed Wright to get low and again with one hand pushing the ball out of play.

Owen Garvan came close twice in the 39th minute, David Norris' shot was deflected to an unmarked Owen at the far post, Garvan delayed his shot and was closed down by Matthew Connolly, Garvan's follow up was cleared by the QPR defence.

Both sides started the 2nd half the way they ended the first, no new players and no easing off.

David Norris was the first to try his luck in the second half, his shot being blocked by the QPR defence.

QPR made the first change of the day on 56 minutes, Dexter Blackstock coming on for Samuel Di Carmine. Town made their first change 3 minutes later, Pablo Counago replacing Alan Quinn as Town adjusted their formation slightly, Jon Walters moving out to the right side of midfield, Garvan to the left with Lisbie and Counago upfront.

Moments after his introduction Counago played Lisbie through on goal but he was denied by Radek Cerny in the QPR goal.

QPR and Town both made another change each in the 68th minute, Akos Buzsaky was replaced by Emmanuel Jorge Ledesma for QPR while Lisbie was replaced by Stead for Town.

Stead made an almost immediate impact, scoring the first goal of the day in the 72nd minute, although it could easily have been QPR going in front moments earlier but Lee Cook was unable to find the target, instead firing just wide, Richard Wright restarted the action with . Stead's goal came as the result of a McAuley flick to Counago who found Stead in space, his first shot was saved by Cerny but even as Stead sat on the ground he managed to get enough power on a header to get the ball over the line.

Stead got Town's second 3 minutes later, Garvan whipped in a corner which was perfectly placed for Stead to head home, leaving Cerny routed to the spot.

Counago was unfortunate not to score at least one goal, having a number of good chances to find the back of the net but bad luck and good goal keeping denied the Spaniard.

Stead went close to a hat-trick in stoppage time, Town won a free-kick which Garvan allowed Stead to take, from 25-yards Stead hit the post with the ball rebounding out to Counago who again couldn't find the target.

Ipswich Town: R Wright, Volz, McAuley, Naylor, D Wright; Norris, Garvan, Shumulikoski, Quinn (Counago 59); Walters, Lisbie (Stead 67). Substitutes: Supple, Bruce, Miller.

Queens Park Rangers: Cerny; Connolly, Hall, Stewart, Delaney; Buzsaky (Ledesma 67), Rowlands, Tommasi, Cook; Parejo, Di Carmine (Blackstock 56). Substitutes: Mahon, Gorkss, Cole.

Referee: Mr T Kettle (Rutland)
Attendance: 20,966.

Got a view on the result? Leave it below.