Queens Park Rangers shoot Swans down

Massimo Luongo of Queens Park Rangers (pic: George Phillipou/TGS Photo) (Image: ©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

Early blitz from Queens Park Rangers helped them bring an end to their seven game winless run in the Championship as they cruised to a 4-0 victory over mid-table Swansea City.

A brace from Tomer Hemed and goals from Darnell Furlong and Massimo Luongo sealed the three points for the R’s to move them eight points clear of the relegation zone.

R’s caretaker manager John Eustace made four changes to the side that drew 0-0 with London rivals Millwall on Wednesday evening.

Former Swans defender Angel Rangel came in to face his former club, alongside Jordan Cousins, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Tomer Hemed.

Joel Lynch, Matt Smith and Nakhi Wells were dropped to the bench while Geoff Cameron missed out.

Graham Potter on the other hand named an unchanged starting line-up after picking up a 3-1 victory over Stoke City in mid-week.

The hosts got off to a flyer as youngster Bright Osayi-Samuel raced down the flank, taking on right-back Connor Roberts, and forcing the defender to block his attempt of a cross and put it out for a corner.

Luke Freeman picked out Darnell Furlong with the corner but the defender was denied by goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, who had to push it out for a second corner in the opening two minutes.

This time round, former Arsenal youngster Freeman found Furlong once again, but he made no mistake as he headed home at the near post to make it 1-0.

Two minutes later the R’s doubled their lead as Tomer Hemed struck the ball into the bottom right corner after a long punt forward bounced off the head of Swans defender Mike Van Der Hoorn and into the path of the Israeli striker.

In the 16th minute Hemed netted his second of the match as he got his left foot on the end of a cross from Josh Scowen.

The former Barnsley midfielder was threaded through on right flank by right-back Rangel who picked out Hemed to make it 3-0.

Swans George Byers almost pulled one back as he struck a decent effort just over the cross bar 12 minutes later.

Osayi-Samuel switched over to the right flank and caused Naughton problems – resulting in the former Spurs man bringing him down.

The 21-year-old went down in some discomfort but Swansea continued to play on until James was brought down as they rushed forward.

Rangel had some strong words for Roberts after the right-back didn’t put the ball out and things got heated eight minutes before half-time.

Swansea were put under pressure from the off once again and in the 52nd minute were forced to clear a number of efforts off the line before pushing the ball behind for a corner following a Freeman free-kick.

Former Stevenage man Freeman whipped the corner in and it bounced around inside the six yard box, until it fell to Australian International Massimo Luongo, who managed to squeeze it into the net and make it 4-0.

The visitors Cameron Carter-Vickers was denied by the crossbar after getting his head to a flick on inside the six yard box in the 60th minute.

City thought they were going to reduce the deficit in the 71st minute as danger man James fired a shot on goal but former Swans defender Rangel denied his effort on the line.

Eustace’s men held for the final stages of the fixture and even handed a debut to youngster Lewis Walker by bringing him on in the 82nd minute for Hemed.

QPR: Lumley, Rangel (Eze 88), Furlong, Leistner, Manning, Freeman (Wszolek 69), Lionel, Scowen, Cousins, Osayi-Samuel, Hemed (Walker 82)

Unused subs: Ingram, Lynch, Smith, Wells.

Swansea City: Nordfeldt, Roberts, Van Dee Hoorn, Carter-Vickers, Naughton (Fulton 46), Byers (Rodon 65), Grimes, Dyer (Celina 46), Routledge, James, McBurnie.

Unused subs: Benda, Asoro, McKay, Baker-Richardson.

Attendance: 13,872 (1,874 Swansea).