Cook's last hurrah ends in defeat as QPR lose out in mid-table clash with Swansea

Picture by William Powell

Championship

QPR (0) 1 Norrington-Davies 90

Swansea City (1) 2 Ronald 2, Vipotnik pen 80

Central defender Steve Cook played the last of his 100 matches for Queens Park Rangers last night. He was named skipper for his last match. He has been offered a coaching role in W12 next season but he may join a new club to remain as a player.

He left the field just past the hour mark to a standing ovation from QPR fans who made it to Loftus Road - despite the tube strike. But QPR ‘s evening was torrid and uneventful in front of goal with another defeat after Millwall away on Saturday as the R’s lost to the Welsh side who went above the R’s in the league table.

The visitors started well and opened the scoring through Ronald with a right footed shot from the centre of the penalty area into the corner of the net - beating Joe Walsh in the second minute.

QPR came back slowly with Kwame Poku and Harvey Vale looking likely on the flanks. Isaac Hayden saw a right footed shot saved by former Orient keeper Lawrence Vigouroux in the 24th minute to keep the Swans in the lead.

QPR replaced Poku due to injury, with Paul Smyth taking over in the 29th minute. Swansea could have been further ahead at the break as QPR were lacking flair and positivity with Rayan Kolli and Rumarn Burrell not getting much of a look in. 

Rangers needed a better second half but the Swans almost doubled their lead immediately after the restart. Gonçalo Franco's right-footed shot from 15 yards out was tipped way by Walsh at full stretch and they went close again in the 51st minute through a Leo Walta shot from the edge of the penalty area but Walsh was in top form and denied the visitors.

In the 52nd minute, Vale nearly equalised but his free-kick from 22 yards out went just over the crossbar. Adam Idah Left footed shot for Swansea City in the 57th minute from the edge of the penalty area was well saved by Walsh. 

Richard Kone found Smyth in the penalty area in the 78th minute but his shot was saved by Vigouroux. Swansea then came forward on a fast counter attack and Tylon Smith fouled Eom Ji-Sung and referee John Busby pointed straight to the penalty spot. Up stepped substitute Zan Vipotnik and he fired home with a right footed penalty to make it 2-0 to the Swans in the 80th minute. 

In the 90th minute, QPR pulled a goal back after Smyth’s shot hit the crossbar from the edge of the Swansea penalty area and Rhys Norrington-Davies followed up and headed in. A Welshman scoring for QPR is a rare occurrence - the last one was Tyler Roberts.

R's: (4-4-2) Walsh – Adamson Edwards Cook (61, Smith T) Norrington-Davies – Poku (29, Smyth) Hayden (61, Madsen) Morgan Vale – Kolli (60, Chair) Burrell (62, Kone)

Swans: (4-2-3-1) Vigouroux – Parker (73, Ward) Cabango Burgess Tymon – Fulton Walta (67, Yalcouye) - Ronald Gonçalo (66, Eom) Franco Widell (76, Cullen) – Idah (66, Vipotnik)

Attendance 13,835