Source: Northern_Echo
Second-half collapse sends Boro to defeat in capital
THREE goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half ended Boro's hopes of a victory against Championship leaders QPR at Loftus Road.[LNB] Rangers tortured Boro after the half-time interval with goals from Heidar Helguson, Hogan Ephraim and Alejandro Faurlain on 49, 53 and 59 minutes.[LNB] Referee Mick Russell awarded a penalty on 48 minutes when Barry Robson, playing at left-back, clumsily pushed Heidar Helguson in the box. The Iceland international stepped up himself and stroked his spot-kick to Luke Steele's left.[LNB] And it was two four minutes later. Player of the month Adel Taarabt and Ephraim had been thorns in Boro's sides for the first half, and they linked up to devastating effect.[LNB] Taarabt, a £600,000 signing for Rangers in the close season, swept in an inch-perfect cross for Ephraim to touch neatly past Steele's near post. It was clinical and decisive, and showed just why QPR are top of the league.[LNB] For the third, Taarabt and Ephraim exchanged short passes on the right, the latter's cross met Alejandro Faurlain whose shot was blocked, but Jamie Mackie followed up and fired through the traffic to extend QPR's lead.[LNB] A break in play allowed QPR fans to raise a chorus of 'You're Getting Sacked in the Morning' towards Gordon Strachan. Par for the course, water off a duck's back - but the fact that the Boro fans in the Bloemfontain Road end were joining in -albeit ironically - will have stung a little.[LNB] Boro rallied somewhat, but despite half-chances for substitutes Leroy Lita and Justin Hoyte, they were unable to breach the QPR defence.[LNB] A miserable Boro afternoon was almost made worse, but Ephraim missed the chance to make it four on 87 minutes when his curling effort bounced off the crossbar.[LNB]
