QPR earn fortunate win

Queens Park Rangers registered their first Championship win at Gillingham.

Marcus Bean's first half winner gave the West London club their first three points of the season - even though it clearly looked like he had handled the ball into the net.

It was the visitors who tried to threaten The Gills in the early stages, with Paul Furlong and Richard Johnson missing chances.

The home side then replied through some bright play from Matthew Jarvis after his shot went just wide of Chris Day's goal after the youngster got into a good position in the QPR box.

Ian Holloway's side, however, looked the likelier team to score in the first half and after receiving a pass from veteran Kevin Gallen, summer signing Lee Cook hit the outside of Steve Banks's near post with a rasping close range drive.

QPR maintained their pressure and took the lead on 29 minutes in controversial circumstances.

A ball from the left hand side into Gillingham's box found Martin Rowlands on the right and his low cross found Bean in front of goal.

His initial back heel was stopped by Banks, but as he stumbled to the ground, Bean seemed to deliberately swing his left arm to knock the rebound into the net to give QPR the lead.

The goal saw immediate protests towards referee Mike Thorpe from Gillingham player-manager Andy Hessenthaler for Bean's obvious hand ball, but those protests proved in vain.

Moments later, referee Thorpe was at fault again for not awarding QPR a clear penalty after the onrushing Johnson was taken down in Gillingham's box by John Hills.

The half ended with the visitors nearly doubling their lead when Cook's deflected shot off Gillingham's Barry Ashby forced Banks into a full-stretch save.

Following half time, QPR squandered a chance to make it 2-0 when a break away saw Cook eventually mis-hit his shot woefully wide.

The Gills then went looking for an equaliser and youngster Jarvis forced a good save from Day before the ensuing corner saw Day win possession of the loose ball after a scramble in the six-yard box, with Iwan Roberts and Darren Byfield lurking.

The former Norwich City hit-man then thought he had equalised for The Gills moments later before he was rightly judged offside on the edge of QPR's box.

The home side continued to press forward with Ashby hitting a volley just wide while Jarvis headed over the bar from close range before being substituted off mid-way through the half for Mamady Sidibe.

The home side tried hard to pull level in the dying stages, but Ian Cox's wayward header from an injury time free kick in QPR's box summed up the Kent club's lack of good fortune on the evening.

Holloway will be delighted with his side's first win in The Championship - even if it came in such controversial circumstances in the first half.

Click below for a match summary:

Coca-Cola Championship
Gillingham 0-1 Queens Park Rangers

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