Match Report - Preston North End 0-1 Queens Park Rangers - Deepdale defeat for play-off hopefuls

Jimmy Dunne scored the only goal of the game in the second half as PNE failed to impose their quality on the match.

Ryan Lowe named an unchanged side for the visit of QPR, and an unchanged bench. It meant that he was without seven potential first team options for the clash but it did also mean that there were four academy graduates on the bench once again.

QPR started the game the better of the two sides, enjoying possession and largely the freedom of the park. Ethan Laird used that to his advantage after 11 minutes as he skipped by a handful of North End players to get into the area, the ball ricocheted up to Tim Iroegbunam who let fly but his effort was over the bar.

Iroegbunam was again trying to open the scoring just three minutes later as he let fly from 25 yards out but his low drive hit the foot of the post and came out.

After 20 minutes Chris Willock was the next QPR man to try and break the deadlock as the visitors continued to be the better side. His low shot from the right side of the box was held by Freddie Woodman.

A rare foray forward for North End saw Daniel Johnson felled on the edge of the box, Ben Whiteman's free kick on 22 minutes going into the wall.

Iroegbunam gave Woodman cause for concern just before the half hour mark, carrying the ball almost half the length of the pitch before striking when off balance and falling away.

North End's only significant effort on goal in the first half came just three minutes from time, Whiteman volleying from the edge of the box low at goal but the effort was blocked behind for a corner - North End fortunate to go in level with the dominance of QPR on the ball.

There was intent from North End in the second half to step their game up but they found their quality lacking, the visitors having the first chance of the second 45.

Willock had the ball delivered in from Albert Adomah but from close range he could only slice the ball over eight minutes into the second half.

After 56 minutes Preston registered their first shot on target, Alvaro Fernandez cutting inside from the left to shoot low on his right foot, a comfortable save for Seny Dieng.

But QPR quickly took the lead, a corner whipped in from the right was flicked on at the near post by Ryan Ledson onto Dunne whose diversion came off the underside of the crossbar before bouncing over the line.

PNE's best chance of the game fell the way of Ben Woodburn, fresh from scoring his first league goal for the club last week. The Welshman received the ball inside the area one on one with the goalkeeper but Dieng was quickly out to smother the ball and just about prevent it sneaking under him after 64 minutes.

The visitors went up the other end and nearly made it two, Adomah having room to bring the ball down on the edge of the box and volley at goal, which Woodman held.

With seven minutes to go Adomah was allowed to carry the ball around the final third, eventually sliding the ball into the box for Iroegbunam who saw his fierce strike tipped over from a tight angle.

Referee Oli Langford was growing increasingly unpopular at Deepdale as QPR looked to see out the remainder of the game.

Brad Potts struck on the volley from a deep cross from Fernandez with a minute of normal time remaining, catching the ball sweetly but sending the ball just beyond the far post.

PNE's attempts to salvage something from the game late on came to nothing, as with their afternoon, lacking the quality to find the back of the net.

PNE Starting XI: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham (O'Neill, 85'), Potts (Diaby, 90'), Whiteman, Ledson (Cross-Adair, 68'), Fernandez, Woodburn, Johnson, Evans.PNE Subs: Cornell, , Bauer, Slater, Mawene.QPR starting XI: Dieng; Laird, Dunne, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Dozzell (Dickie, 90+1'), Field, Iroegbunam, Adomah, Dykes, Willock.QPR subs: Archer, Kakay, Richards, Thomas, Shodipo, Armstrong.

Attendance: 14,534