QPR rock Boro promotion bid, Stoke in Villa thriller and Brum revival stuns Rovers

STEVE McCLAREN'S men ended their four-game winless run in the Championship by denting Boro's wobbling promotion bid.

Pawel Wszolek rewarded Ranger's first-half domination with a close-range opener on four minutes.

But George Saville volleyed a superb leveller soon after the break.

But on the hour Nahki Wells slotted in Wszolek's cross to lift QPR to 13th as Boro dropped to sixth.

McClaren said: "We showed great determination, could have scored more goals and defended resolutely right to the end."

Boro manager Tony Pulis claimed: "The players have reacted to the fact that we haven't been scoring and, in their desperation to score, we've lost our shape a bit."

SWANSEA 2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1

SUB Bersant Celina sparked Swansea's two-minute turnarond for victory – leaving Owls boss Jos Lukukay furious.

Marco Matias came off the bench to punish poor Swans' defending with a 63rd minute opener.

But Kosovo midfielder Celina was brought on to drill a sharp leveller on 71 minutes before brilliantly teeing up a winner for Wayne Routledge 60 seconds later.

Swansea boss Graham Potter said: I thought overall we deserved the victory… I'm really proud of the players' effort, togetherness and character.

"It was great for Bersant to come on and score and turn the game around for us."

But Luhukay fumed: "I am so angry because the players are showing no proof of what we are doing. It is not the first time we give a 1-0 lead away for the opponents to score two goals."

BLACKBURN 2 BIRMINGHAM 2

CRAIG GARDNER'S penalty and Che Adams' close-in finish snatched a late comeback point for Brum.

Rovers could easily have added to Danny Graham's 19th minute header and sub Adam Armstrong's acute angled finish just after the break.

But instead Birmingham stayed above their mid-table rivals by levelling with two goals in two minutes.

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray said: "It's quite amazing to think we threw away two points having worked so hard to get into a 2-0 lead in difficult conditions for football.

They didn't have a shot in the second half up until [keeper] David [Raya] goes walkabouts in his penalty area and gives a penalty away. Then it's some pretty poor positional play for the second goal."

But Brum chief Garry Monk said: You need to be able to show a response, and we did that. It's an extremely difficult place to come and get points."

ASTON VILLA 2 STOKE 2

VILLA twice came from behind in an absorbing draw to move three points off the play-off zone.

Joe Allen lashed Stoke's opener on 47 minutes before newly-introduced Villa sub Jonathan Kodjia was fouled, enabling Tammy Abrahams to level from the spot with his 12th goal this term.

James McClean was tripped for Benik Afobe to restore Stoke's lead with a penalty of their own.

But Kodjia nodded home Yannick Bolasie cross's cross on 84 minutes.

HULL CITY 2 BRENTFORD 0

FRAIZER CAMPBELL'S first-half double handed Brentford their eighth loss in 10 games as fellow strugglers Hull notched only their third home win this season.

Bees head coach Thomas Frank admitted: "We are worried – if you only win one in 10, that's clear.

"We need to look at ourselves, but you can see the effort they put in."

Campbell has now hit six goals in the past eight games in which the much-improved Tigers have lost just once.

But Brentford passed the ball around well enough and mostly matched their hosts.

IPSWICH 1 WIGAN 0

FREDDIE SEARS' fifth goal in seven games earned Paul Lambert his first win in charge of bottom side Ipswich.

Wigan had far more chances than the battling Tractor Boys and hit the bar through Reece James.

But Sears struck with UIpswich's only effort on target after 67 minutes.

Lambert said: "It was brilliant – that was probably the best since I've been here, for different reasons."

ROTHERHAM 1 READING 1

JOE MATTOCK sneaked Rotherham's last-minute point-saver in this bottom-five clash against managerless Reading.

Sam Baldock's clam finish put the Royals in front after nine minutes and twice came close again before the break.

But Reading keeper Anssi Jaakkola thwarted the Millers second-half comeback – until Mattock stabbed a deserved leveller.

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