Scunthorpe United 0-1 Queens Park Rangers
Report from Glanford Park
Coca-Cola Championship - Saturday, August 29, 2009

Click here for a minute-by-minute analysis of the game

The Iron lost 1-0 to Queens Park Rangers in their latest Championship home fixture.

An early goal from Adel Taarabt settled a contest which had few real opportunities.

Scunthorpe tried to fight their way back into the game, but a solid Rangers backline held firm in the final game before a two-week international break.

United headed into the home match with Queens Park Rangers making three changes from the side that won at Swansea on Tuesday evening.

Niall Canavan, who starred in that game, is ruled out with an ankle injury - meaning that Cliff Byrne returns to the fold in his capacity as captain.

Josh Wright and Jonathan Forte drop to the bench, and as a consequence, Michael O'Connor and Gary Hooper make the initial X1.

Furthermore, there's no place in the starting lineup for Grant McCann; and veteran Andy Crosby has grabbed a place on the bench.

Joe Murphy started the match in goal, with Jordan Spence, David Mirfin, Byrne and Marcus Williams forming the defence.

The midfield consisted of Matt Sparrow, Sam Togwell, O'Connor and Martyn Woolford, while Hooper partnered Paul Hayes up front.

Within the opening few seconds there was an incident as Murphy brought down Routledge flying down the right wing.

The Hoops then went ahead minutes later as attacker Adel Taarabt, on loan from Tottenham, eased his way through the back four and poked past the onrushing Murphy.

The hosts had a penalty claim denied on 10 minutes when Hooper liked to be brought down in the penalty area by Gary Borrowdale. Referee Graham Salisbury was having none of it, however.

QPR were having the better of things going forward, and Hogan Ephraim was next toi come close when he cut inside and drilled a low effort goalwards which went just wide of Murphy's bottom left-hand post.

There was another opportunity for the visiting side 19 minutes in when Jay Simpson powered wide a header following Taarabt''s cross. Murphy was angry with his defence for allowing the visitors too much space.

Although they were working hard, United were struggling to impose themselves on the opposition and they worried for a moment when top scorer Gary Hooper picked up a head injury.

After a short delay for treatment though he came back onto the pitch, and it was he who manufactured the next shot on goal for the home team.

The frontman found space down the right-hand side of the 18-yard box and sped into it before firing in a low shot which was well stopped by Radek Cerny.

Sparrow and Woolford linked up well on 34 minutes, with the cross from the latter after a one-two just failed to reach Sparrow.

Three minutes later, Spence's speculative volleyed shot, just after the Hoops had failed to clear properly, went high and wide of goal.

Simpson had one last chance for the hosts before half-time, but his low shot trickled past Murphy's bottom right-hand post.

Ther Iron had the final chance of the first half in the third minute out of four in first half stoppage time when Spence struck a low left footed shot after being set up by Williams on the left wing. It was a routine stop for Cerny though.

The hosts struggled to get going in the second half, and Fitz Hall's volley drew another excellent reaction stop from Murphy as he stopped the Hoops from doubling their lead.

From the subsequent corner, Mikele Leigertwood looped a shot just over the crossbar.

There was a double Iron alteration straight after to try and claw their way back into the game. O'Connor and Togwell were replaced by Grant McCann and Josh Wright.

Hooper had a chance to equalise three minutes later but was judged to be offside as he volleyed an attempt against the post.

Then Byrne, only just, failed to connect with Wright's free-kick from deep as the hosts looked to up the pressure.

Thompson came on for Sparrow on 70 minutes and had a good chance five minutes later when he was played into space down the right and sent the ball powerfully across goal. Cerny held on to it though.

Moments after that, Wright's curling free kick from the left was tipped out by Cerny for a corner.

After the Hoops had cleared, Wright's cross from deep was then headed well wide by Byrne.

McCann then took a free-kick from 30 yards which was tipped out blow to his left by Cerny.

The visitors were always a danger on the break, and Rowan Vine smashed a shot over the crossbar on 80 minutes.

They also had a penalty shout denied when Routledge took a tumble under pressure from Murphy. The referee showed him a yellow card though.

With two minutes left tot go, McCann's free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box found MIrfin, whose header went just wide.

Just before that, QPR boss Jim Magilton had been sent to the directors' box after disagreeing with a decision.

There were five minutes of stoppage time, and Scunthorpe continued to seek an equaliser. McCann clipped a free-kick into the box and Hooper attempted to score with an overhead kick. However, he missed the ball and it drifted wide. That proved to be the last chance of the game.

United are next in action in a fortnight's time when they visit Crystal Palace.

Attendance: 5,866 (682 away).

Iron Bar man of the match: Paul Hayes.

Sponsors' man of the match: Jordan Spence.