QPR 0-1 Blackpool: FLW report as Josh Bowler ends 50-year wait for Loftus Road win

Blackpool secured their first win at Loftus Road since 1972 thanks to Josh Bowler’s strike as the Seasiders beat QPR 1-0 in the nation’s capital.

Lyndon Dykes missed a string of chances before Bowler bagged the decisive goal in first-half stoppage-time and try as they might after the break, Mick Beale’s side could not find a response.

Blackpool’s talismanic winger made up for his wasted chances against Swansea City on the weekend to help his team claim a first win in W12 for 50 years while the R’s were unable to repeat Saturday’s late heroics against Sunderland despite 19-year-old Sinclair Armstrong’s impressive cameo.

Leeds United loanee Tyler Roberts and on-loan Manchester United defender Ethan Laird were both given their first starts by Beale and we saw in the opening exchanges just what we can expect from them in an R’s shirt.

Two minutes in, Roberts stung the palms of Blackpool keeper Daniel Grimshaw with a fearsome low strike and then Laird capitalised on some defensive indecision to surge into the box along the byline but his cross didn’t find a teammate.

It was far from one-way traffic, however, and though Bowler proved a constant nuisance for the defence, it was Jerry Yates that went closest as his shot came off the outside of the post in the 12th minute.

A quiet 10 minutes followed for the R’s as they struggled to impose themselves but it was the home side that had the next attempt on goal. Laird raced through down the right again and cut the ball back to Dykes, whose scuffed shot was well stopped by Grimshaw.

Better chances would come for the Scot before the break but again he failed to capitalise – he couldn’t get his head on Ilias Chair’s probing free-kick as we entered the final 15 minutes of the half and