Will Lankshear's seventh goal in as many matches gave Middlesbrough a 1-0 victory against previously-unbeaten QPR. The striker has been a revelation since his summer move from Tottenham and his predatory first-half finish at Loftus Road took Boro up to second in the Championship table. Boro led at half-time in their previous two away games this season and did not manage to win, but this time they held on.
Rangers had taken 10 points from their opening four matches, leaving them second and in high spirits ahead of this test of their credentials against one of the division's heavyweights. And having been plagued by injuries to key players last term, the early-season sharpness of the likes of Ilias Chair, Jake Clarke-Salter and Kwame Poku, who previously struggled for fitness, was another reason for optimism for the west London side. However, by the end of a first half dominated by Boro, Chair and striker Richard Kone had gone off injured and the hosts were a goal down.
The 20th-minute breakthrough came when Callum Brittain won a challenge against Paul Smyth on the right and drilled a low cross across the face of goal, with Lankshear netting at the far post. Kyle Joseph then had a chance to double the lead but was unable to add the finish to Brittain's deflected cross. With Rangers reeling after Chair's latest injury and Boro's goal being followed by the loss of Kone, Lankshear was denied by keeper Pierce Charles after being set up by Sebastian Berhalter's ball over the top.
QPR responded with a high-tempo start to the second half, with Amadou Mbengue and Rumarn Burrell - who came on to replace Kone - bringing saves from keeper Radek Vitek, and Chair's replacement Koki Saito shooting wide. Boro remained a threat on the counter-attack, though, and after Mbengue had given the ball away, Tommy Conway should have scored when through on goal but Charles did well to deflect his shot onto the post. That was a rare second-half attack by the visitors, who came under sustained pressure - and had a lucky escape when Harvey Vale's 77th-minute strike crashed against the inside of the post.
As Rangers continued to search in vain for an equaliser, Tariq Lamptey fired over, Jimmy Dunne was just unable to connect with Nicolas Madsen's corner and Middlesbrough defended well, particularly in the final minutes, to secure a hard-fought but deserved win. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k!
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