Wolves 1 QPR 2 - Report and pictures

Wolves dominated much of the game but were punished for their poor finishing.

Idrissa Sylla put the visitors in front shortly after half time with their first meaningful effort of the game.

Wolves, who had 20 shots to QPR's five, equalised soon after when David Edwards slammed home his seventh goal of the season.

The hosts pressed for a winner but it was QPR who got it when Wsolek took advantage of poor defending to prod home.

Analysis

Queens Park Rangers had lost six games in a row before today.

They hadn't scored since they last played Wolves, at the start of December.

And Wolves were so confident of winning three successive matches for the first time in the whole of 2016.

So perhaps there was a depressing inevitability about this result, this being Wolves after all.

But, seriously, Wolves really should have won this game.

They produced 20 shots to QPR's five. The limited visitors were wasting time throughout the game - they sat back and defended for a point. They escaped with all three.

There was also little surprise in the identity of their first goalscorer. Idrissa Sylla came so close to joining Wolves last summer and he duly broke the deadlock early in the second half.

Wolves have endured some depressing afternoons at Molineux in 2016 and this was right up there, especially on the back of two wins that had provided so much optimism.

But this, if one was required, was a reality check. Defensive mistakes have cost Wolves goal all year long and continue to do so. Strikers have failed to score all year and continue to fail to find the net.

As Lambert is fully well aware, there is a lot of work to do in 2017 - starting in the January transfer window.

The head coach stuck with the same XI that had beaten both Nottingham Forest and Bristol City. He also named the same bench, meaning Romain Saiss again missed out ahead of travelling to the African Cup of Nations with Morocco next month.

Wolves began on the front foot but lacked the vim and vigour of their last two home games. Their passing from midfield was sluggish although their dangerous front four always looking like they had a moment of inspiration in them.

Nouha Dicko looked to feed off scraps but got involved in some nice interplay, particularly with Bright Enobakhare and the pair combined for the half's best chance which Enobakhare spurned when through on goal.

Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Costa delighted and frustrated in equal measure but bad decisions were being made at crucial moments.

At the other end though Carl Ikeme could put his feet up. QPR offered absolutely nothing going forward and were one of the most limited teams seen at Molineux this season.

In fact they began time wasting as early as the first half an hour. They sat deep, defended in big numbers and looked to soak up the pressure.

After a run of six defeats that was perhaps understandable. Beleaguered boss Ian Holloway, who accused Brighton fans of 'lacking respect' when they sang that the was getting 'sacked in the morning' last week, applauded the South Bank when they inevitably sang the same ditty just 95 seconds in.

That was pretty much the most entertaining thing of a poor first half.

No doubt helped by a stern talking-to from Lambert, Wolves came racing out of the traps with an increased tempo after the break.

Costa's curling shot was saved, David Edwards headed a Conor Coady cross wide and Dicko flashed the ball across the face of goal.

Wolves couldn't make the breakthrough. And QPR, who had shown almost no attacking ambitions all match, duly did, inevitably via Sylla who came so close to moving to Molineux last summer.

It was a sucker punch, one that Wolves didn't deserve. But the response from Lambert's team was perfect - and who else but Edwards got Wolves back in it, driving home from close range after great work from Costa.

The crowd lifted the volume again and the stage was set for a rousing final 20 minutes.

Lambert turned to Joe Mason, who replaced Enobakhare, and Wolves pressed for a winner.

Mason had a shot blocked after some good skills and then Doherty's long-ranger - with every QPR player behind the ball - bounced through to Smithies.

Bodvarsson was the next to enter the fray with 10 to go as Wolves huffed and puffed for the winner that would reflect their dominance.

But, as at the start of the half, Wolves were punished. Poor defending was again at the heart of a goal for the opposition as Wsolek prodded home.

If 2017 isn't to be as underwhelming as 2016, it's those defensive errors which Lambert must eradicate first and foremost.

Key moments

10 - Ivan Cavaleiro plays to Nouha Dicko - he opens his body and aims for the far corner with a curling shot, but it's deflected over.

22 - Brilliant play from Bright Enobakhare who works a one-two with Dicko and is through on goal...but he puts his shot too close to Alex Smithies. Great opportunity spurned.

53 - GOAL - With their first meaningful shot of the game QPR take the lead. A low Pawel Wszolek cross is met by Idrissa Sylla who gets ahead of Danny Batth and beats Carl Ikeme from six yards.

61 - GOAL - Conor Coady sprays to the right wing where Helder Costa takes on his man and crosses right-footed for David Edwards to slam home from close range.

87 - GOAL - Hesitant defending from Batth allows Pawel Wszolek to get in between him and Ikeme and prod past the keeper.

Teams

Wolves (4-2-3-1): Ikeme; Coady, Batth (c), Stearman, Doherty; Edwards, Price; Costa, Enobakhare (Mason, 71), Cavaleiro; Dicko (Bodvarsson, 83). Subs: Burgoyne, Iorfa, Hause, Saville, Ronan.

Goal: Edwards (61)

QPR (4-2-3-1): Smithies; Perch, Hall, Lynch (c), Bidwell; Sandro (Borysiuk, 68), Manning; Wszolek, Ngbakoto (Washington, 78), Mackie; Sylla. Subs. Ingram, El Khayati, Shodipo, Hamalainen, Eze.

Goals: Sylla (53), Wszolek (87)

Attendance: 21,132

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)

Position in the table

16th (28 points from 24 matches)