Late Matt Phillips strike secures QPR a point at struggling Bolton
Matt Phillips earned QPR an unlikely 1-1 Sky Bet Championship draw with a stoppage-time equaliser after Zach Clough's brilliant 69th-minute strike threatened to give relegation haunted Bolton a much-needed win.
Phillips drilled in a left-footed shot under the body of keeper Ben Amos in the second minute of stoppage time though Wanderers still lifted off bottom spot.
But it was a body blow ahead of Monday's High Court winding up order despite a takeover of the club still being imminent.
Clough, who nearly left the club for fellow strugglers Bristol City last month, netted his fourth of the season to momentarily leave Neil Lennon's side four points from safety. However, the Trotters' old game management failings surfaced again as Phillips came to the Londoners' rescue.
Earlier, a minute's applause for chairman Phil Gartside, who died of cancer 10 days earlier, took place before kick-off in front of the club's reclusive owner Eddie Davies.
Despite the generous tribute, dreadful weather conditions of driving wind and rain made for a sombre atmosphere inside the Macron Stadium.
Passions stirred when Karl Henry clattered into Wanderers skipper Darren Pratley and was perhaps fortunate only to receive a yellow card from referee Jeremy Simpson.
Rangers, however, carried more of an attacking threat. Conor Washington easily eluded young defender Rob Holding on the edge of the area but saw his low shot beaten away by Amos.
Liam Feeney's curling 29th-minute effort from 18 yards came close to breaking the deadlock for Wanderers but not near enough to force Alex Smithies into action.
Jay Spearing, going for a third goal in as many games, also tried his luck from distance with a similar result.
Only an acrobatic overhead effort from Clough, connecting with Josh Vela's cross, awoke the crowd from its soporific state.
There was greater quality, however, over Wanderers' last raid of the half. Liam Feeney crossed from the left but Clough, unmarked, could only head straight at Smithies.
Evergreen Emile Heskey appealed in vain for a penalty at the start of an equally turgid second half. And seven minutes later the 38-year-old ex-England striker, starting a rare third successive game, made way for top scorer Gary Madine.
Massimo Luongo collected Rangers' second caution for fouling Mark Davies while Abdenasser El Khayati became the Londoners first change just after the hour, replacing Junior Hoilett.
The Dutch substitute then produced Rangers best chance for nearly 40 minutes, sending in a cross James Perch headed wide from six yards.
Then came the moment to lift the atmosphere. Clough, starting a game for the first time since January 2, received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and drove in a stunning right-footed effort to break the deadlock.
Phillips fired in a tame effort easily saved before Henry clashed with Pratley and again avoided more substantive punishment. Moments later, following another flashpoint, the ex-Wolves man was substituted.
Rangers, 4-3 winners at Loftus Road earlier in the season, still faced defeat as the contest moved into injury time but one final break enabled Phillips to come up with the equaliser.
Source: PA
