QPR vs Sunderland LIVE
Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of QPR vs Sunderland from Loftus Road. It's another difficult game in a busy February which has seen the Black Cats rise to seventh in the Championship table following the 1-0 win over Reading.
Tony Mowbray will have to cope without injured striker Ross Stewart from the remainder of the season, with Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt deputising against the Royals. Tonight's hosts have dropped off from a promising start, losing manager Michael Beale to Rangers, and are without a win in their last eight Championship matches, stretching back to December.
James Hunter is in West London tonight to bring you all the latest as it happens, including team news, match action and the post-game reaction and analysis.
21:43KEY EVENT
And that's that.
A comprehensive win for Sunderland against a poor QPR side that left the pitch to a chorus of boos at full-time.
Luke O'Nien set Sunderland on their way in the first half, but Anthony Patterson was called upon to save a penalty from Ilias Chair on the hour to keep them in front.
Joe Gelhardt hit the bar, before two goals from Jack Clarke in the final 10 minutes set the seal on the win.
Sunderland climb into the play-off spots, up to sixth place as it stands.
21:36KEY EVENT
Clarke scores his second and Sunderland's third.
Neil gets into the box on the right, squares for Clarke who scored from just around the penalty spot
21:26KEY EVENT
Foul in midfield but the referee plays a good advantage as Clarke comes away with the ball down the left, he gets into the box, checks inside Dickie and rolls his finish beyond Dieng into the bottom right-hand corner
21:24James Hunter
ON - Johansen
OFF - Dozzell
21:24James Hunter
ON - Ekwah, Cirkin
OFF - Gelhardt, Alese
21:20KEY EVENT
Roberts gets to the byline on the right, delivers the cross and Gelhardt gets in front of his man but his touch sends the ball onto the bar and it bounces clear! So close
21:18James Hunter
ON - Armstrong
OFF - Iroegbunam
21:15KEY EVENT
Dozzell booked for a foul on Neil
21:12James Hunter
ON - Neil
OFF - Pritchard
21:11KEY EVENT
Chair takes it straight down the middle, Patterson dives to his left but manages to save with his legs and the ball flies well clear
21:10KEY EVENT
Corner for QPR and as the ball comes into the box, Alese is penalised for handball. Penalty given
21:07KEY EVENT
Field booked for a foul on Pritchard
21:06James Hunter
ON - Amad
OFF - Ba
21:05KEY EVENT
Lowe's cross from the right finds Martin four yards out, he gets a touch but can only divert it across the face of goal and wide. Big opportunity and he should have scored
21:03James Hunter
Sunderland pressing QPR at every opportunity and forcing the home side into giving the ball away. Home fans booing - they are not happy!
21:00James Hunter
14,471 here tonight, including 2,554 Sunderland fans
20:57KEY EVENT
Chair advances through the middle and shoots from 25 yards, but his effort is straight at Patterson who saves above his head
20:48KEY EVENT
QPR kick off, with Sunderland attacking the School End in the second half
20:48James Hunter
ON - Kakay
OFF - Laird
20:35KEY EVENT
Patterson 6
Hume 6
Ballard 7
Batth 7
Alese 6
O'Nien 7
Pritchard 8
Ba 7
Roberts 7
Gelhardt 7
Clarke 7
20:34KEY EVENT
So far so good for Sunderland.
First 20 minutes or so was a non-event, but since then Sunderland have taken control with Pritchard pulling the strings and Ba also impressing.
O'Nien scored the goal ten minutes before the break, following up after the keeper couldn't hold Ballard's header.
Another 45mins like that will do nicely
20:31James Hunter
Two minutes to be played
20:22KEY EVENT
From the resulting corner, Sunderland take the lead.
Pritchard's corner from the right is met by Ballard, his header is parried but not held by Dieng and O'Nien is there to prod home from close range
20:20KEY EVENT
Ba's backheel sets up a chance for Roberts inside the box, but his low effort is brilliantly turned round the post by Dieng
20:12KEY EVENT
Good work from Clarke on the left, he plays the ball to Pritchard on the edge of the box and he tees up O'Nien for a strike, but the keeper gets down to his left to push the effort away from goal and it's cleared
20:09KEY EVENT
Hume finds Gelhardt, he gets the better of Dunne inside the box on the right but blasts his shot into the sidenetting. Best chance of the game so far
20:08KEY EVENT
Lowe flashes a shot just wide of the right-hand post from outside the box
20:04James Hunter
Not much goalmouth action to report so far - in fact, none.
QPR edging possession, but Sunderland have got in a few decent positions on the counter-attack
20:01James Hunter
Sunderland fans out in force again
Another big travelling support - around 2,500 #safc fans here tonight pic.twitter.com/INhRUgPIH9
— James Hunter (@JHunterChron) February 14, 202319:45KEY EVENT
Sunderland kick off, attacking the Loftus Road end in the first half