QPR 2-2 Norwich City: Paddy Davitt Championship ratings

• Angus Gunn              6

Ilias Chair’s early long range hit had him scrambling, but veered wide of his right-hand post. Went full length to palm Reggie Cannon’s cross – which television replays suggested may have flicked Kenny McLean in flight – but needed his defence to react quicker than Jack Colback, who swept home QPR’s opener.

Dropped on Chris Willock’s scuffed effort, with Jack Stacey and Ashley Barnes too slow to react. Booming goal kick set Borja Sainz away, but his cross was headed out.

Clutched Kenneth Paal’s free kick at the second attempt. Positioning spot on to claim Willock’s glancing header.

• Jack Stacey               6

Wagner revealed afterwards he was a major fitness doubt, after falling ill at the team hotel on Friday night. Was withdrawn for the final quarter. Gorgeous cross was crashed home by Josh Sargent, after Jon Rowe picked out his overlapping run.

Similar movement six minutes in saw him collect from Christian Fassnacht to force the first Norwich corner. Beaten at his far post when Chair whipped in a free kick, but Angus Gunn was able to smother Willock’s effort.

Weakly lost the ball from Ben Gibson’s raking diagonal when in an advanced position. Drifting cross shortly after the restart was headed behind by Cannon to earn the corner that led to McLean’s equaliser.

• Grant Hanley             5

Some slack to be cut in only his second Championship start since a return from a long term injury lay-off. But a fraction too slow in allowing the powerful Michael Frey to despatch Lucas Andersen’s cross beyond Gunn.

Six minutes earlier was unable to track Lyndon Dykes’ similar near post run, only for the header to slide wide. Needed to take emergency action to head a ball just past his own near post at full-stretch from Chair’s cross, after Stacey’s sloppy turnover.  

• Ben Gibson                6

Physical challenge thrown down by towering Rangers’ forward Sinclair Armstrong. Felt hard done by, based on his protests to the referee, when he was adjudged to have committed one foul too many in impeding a run into the channel to earn a 25th minute booking.

Found Stacey in a promising position later in the half, but the full-back was levered off the ball.

• Dimi Giannoulis       5

Cheaply ran the ball out of play, before he was unable to put any pressure on the quickly-taken QPR throw that led to their late equaliser. Raced across early on to spot the run of the dangerous Chair and make the interception.

Circumspect in his attacking urges, by his standards, but did link intelligently with Gabby Sara in the 23rd minute before the Brazilian’s cross was cleared.

• Kenny McLean      7

Well-worn corner routine paid off with Sara, when he peeled off his marker and arrived eight yards out to sweep his fellow midfielder’s delivery past Asmir Begovic. Superb cushioned ball into the chest of Barnes in the 79th minute, but Begovic was out to smother.

Body swerve lost his marker in his own half, and a pinpoint ball into the same forward as early as the fourth minute. Did try and cut out Cannon’s cross for QPR's opener, but television replays suggested the faintest of touches saw Gunn palm the ball down for Colback to finish.

Stepped up to smack a free kick that clipped the home wall in the 38th minute. Sparked a rare first half move of promise with a ball into Sargent, who linked with Barnes to sweep a cross out to Fassnacht that flew behind.

• Gabby Sara               ­­7

On the margins in the first half restored to a deeper midfield role - bar the odd burst and link-up with Dimi Giannoulis. But came alive at the start of the second period. After three consecutive corners that had hit the first man his fourth attempt had the right pace and angle for McLean to pounce.

Then he picked the ball up in the centre circle and his first thought was to thread a pass between two home players for Rowe to turn and invite Stacey forward for Sargent’s goal.

First half free kick veered wide from 20 yards in the 24th minute. Stepped up again in the 88th minute, but his late free kick was parried by Begovic.  

• Christian Fassnacht             5

Limited threat going forward and off the pace defensively before he was replaced by Rowe. Turned by Chair in the sixth minute, who arrowed a cross that rolled across Gunn’s six yard line. Then on his heels when Colback reacted to the keeper’s knock down for the opener.

Looked favourite to attack McLean’s inviting cross at the back post in the 37th minute, but Jake Salter-Clarke was around on the cover. Probing cross was headed away, after holding his width on the right in the 40th minute.

• Ashley Barnes          ­­               5

Show of faith from Wagner to start, and then stay on the pitch with Sydney van Hooijdonk kept in reserve. Big chance in the 79th minute, when he managed to chest control McLean’s ball, but was unable to squeeze a shot past the advancing Begovic.

On his heels for the head down that saw Willock scuff his attempt at Gunn in the 17th minute. Wily blocking motion on Steve Cook allowed Sainz to advance onto his keeper’s punt.

• Borja Sainz                6

Best attacking moment by some distance in that drab first half was when he plucked a ball out of the air, bustled past three QPR defenders and hit a low side footer from the edge of the box that had Begovic beaten.

Six minutes in drove at the home backline, before shovelling the ball onto Fassnacht. Wayward volley on his right from the edge of the box flew wide shortly after. Threat level waned following the interval.

• Josh Sargent                  7

Wagner revealed afterwards another who had not trained all week until the Friday, and who was withdrawn at 2-1 up with the upcoming midweek Watford home game in mind.

Stunning piece of athleticism to tower about the QPR defence with a perfectly-timed run and leap to head his seventh league goal in just 11 appearances this season. Crowded out inside the opening two minutes from Fassnacht’s angled ball. Isaac Hayden left a calling card in front of the away dugout in the 13th minute.

Risky square pass for Sainz was pounced on by Chair, who let fly from 25 yards with a shot that had Gunn at full-stretch.

Subs

• Jon Rowe (for Fassnacht, 59)           6

Anxious wait for the extent of his hamstring injury that saw him barely last half-an-hour on his return from a broken hand. Still made his mark with the turn, drive and pass for the overlapping Stacey to pick out Sargent. But miscued on his left with a rising strike from Onel Hernandez’s cut-back.  

• Marcelino Nunez (for Sargent, 69)             5

• Jacob Sorensen (for Stacey, 69)               4

Torrid time as an emergency right-back against the dangerous Chair. Beaten all ends up by the attacker in the 70th minute, but his cross-shot dropped wide of Gunn’s far-post.

• Sam McCallum (for Giannoulis, 86)           n/a

• Onel Hernandez (for Sainz, 86)       n/a

Excellent tracking back halted a QPR counter and sparked a Norwich transition moment that saw Sara upended at the other end. Stoppage time cut back for Rowe, who skied over on his left.