QPR 2-0 Reading: Conor Washington nets twice

Conor Washington scored both goals for QPR as they beat 10-man Reading 2-0 at Loftus Road.

Washington headed in from close range on 22 minutes and slotted home a penalty 14 minutes into the second half after Tiago Ilori had been shown a red card for fouling Pawel Wszolek in the box.

The home side went ahead when Luke Freeman's skill on the right dug the ball out of a tight spot and Wszolek crossed for Washington to apply the finish.

Rangers boss Ian Holloway paired Jamie Mackie and Washington up front and they had combined in the opening few minutes, exchanging passes before Washington saw a shot saved by keeper Vito Mannone. After going ahead, Rangers almost doubled their lead when Freeman shot narrowly wide following nice link-up play involving Mackie and Wszolek.

Washington missed a great chance five minutes before the interval, shooting high and wide after Liam Kelly's awful back-pass left the striker with just Mannone to beat.

Rangers continued to press early in the second half and Freeman sent another effort wide after being set up by Mackie. The home side were very much on top at that stage, but they needed Alex Smithies to produce a brilliant save to maintain their lead following an error by Nedum Onuoha shortly before the second goal.

After the Rangers captain's lapse in concentration let in substitute Mo Barrow, the ball broke to Jon Daoi Bodvarsson, who was denied by keeper Smithies at point-blank range. It proved to be a pivotal moment in the match because a couple of minutes later Reading were two behind, down to 10 men and without Bodvarsson, who had been their main threat.

With Bodvarsson lying injured near the halfway line, play was allowed to continue and Mackie teed up Wszolek, who was taken down by Iloro near the edge of the six-yard box. Ilori was sent off for a professional foul and, after a delay as Bodvarsson received treatment and was then helped off the pitch, Washington steered his penalty into the corner of the net.

Washington then picked up an injury of his own after appearing to hurt his back, but by then the game was as good as won for Rangers.

The managers

Ian Holloway: "If you press as well as we're going to press then you're going to look a better team. We got chances off of pressing them. They changed their shape three or four times and we didn't feel we needed to.

"I think we got things at the right time and I did think play would be stopped for the second goal. But we played really well and I'm very proud of the players for the work they put in and proud of our crowd. I'm also delighted for Conor. He's a natural goalscorer and could have had a hatful. I told him if he pressed then he'd get extra chances."

Jaap Stam: "The players need to be up for it again and they are. The play-offs is an easy excuse. It needs to be an inspiration for the players - and it is. You have to want to be in that position again and we do. To do well you have to work hard and have some pain at certain times.

"We just didn't play well. We knew QPR were going to play a certain way to stop us getting opportunities and they did that very well. The sending-off was obviously a turning point but at 1-0 we had chances and didn't take them. We were not good enough and if you don't do what you need to and bring a certain level of aggressiveness you are not going to beat teams."