Frustrating QPR have to make do with a point as gritty Oxford keep them at bay

What's on the programme tonight? : Picture by @YTJourno

Championship

QPR (0) 0

Oxford United (0) 0

A scruffy, scrappy, mess of a game got the scoreline it deserved - with a booking for both managers at the end of it.

The touchline spat between Julien Stephan and Gary Rowett was probably just a reflection of mutual frustration rather any profound sense of injustice. Neither could complain that they were unable to claim all three points.

Disappointing though it was for R's fans, the reality is that their unbeaten run has now extended to five games since the 7-1 mauling at Coventry City and the overall position remains positive for the new boss.

We waited about 35 minutes to see a Hoops shot fired in anger - the bustling Michael Frey testing Jamie Cumming from just outside the area. Kader Dembele also angled in a dangerous cross that invited a team-mate's touch that never came, Steve Cook fired over from the left.

But it was mostly groans of exasperation from home fans during a largely tepid first half, even if the R's were showing signs of improvement towards the end of it.

Oxford had only one win to their name before tonight - a surprising one at Bristol City - but draws against Coventry and Leicester hinted at a decent side and they looked energetic on the break, even if there was no end product to trouble the hosts.

Attacking the Loft End can still raise the levels and Richard Kone wasn't far off getting on the end of a whipped in cross from the right from Dembele and the noise rose after a couple of spells of pressure that resulted in set pieces in the final third.

The frustration grew though, with the impetuous Amadou Mbengue earning himself a fifth booking of the season, and a one game ban. Sub Rumarn Burrell almost stabbed home a low cross from Rhys Norrington-Davies as the clock ran down, but the striker's energetic cameo also earned him a yellow card rather than a goal.

Oxford might have won it at the death as Michal Helik got on the end of a free-kick, but the ball came off his shoulder rather than head and it whistled wide of the far post. It was only right that there should be no winner.

You can read Julien Stephan's post-match thoughts HERE

Hoops: (4-2-3-1) Nardi - Dunne, Cook, Mbengue, Norrington-Davies - Hayden (Varane 81), Field (Madsen 61) - Vale (Smyth 75), Kone, Kader Dembele (Saito 61) - Frey (Burrell 61)

Oxford: (4-4-2) Cumming - Spencer, Helik, Long, Currie (Leigh 90) - Placheta (Mills 69), DeKeeersmaecker, Brannagan, Krastev (Siriki Dembele 56) - Prelec (Mark Harris 90), Lankshear (Luke Harris 69)