QPR 3-0 Cardiff City: Lyndon Dykes strikes twice and Jack Simpson sent off as Bluebirds suffer heavy defeat

Cardiff City suffered their second defeat in five days after a Lyndon Dykes double and a red card shown to Jack Simpson saw the Bluebirds downed 3-0 by QPR.

It was a miracle that scoreline wasn't bigger, because the London club, whose manager Michael Beale is reportedly being poached by Premier League side Wolves, were utterly dominant in a game which was dictated by a contentious early sending off.

Dykes did his thing from the penalty spot before he doubled his, and QPR's, tally just after the half-hour mark.

While the hat-trick eluded Dykes, Kenneth Paal made sure the hosts got their deserved third goal when he sent a brilliant header home with 15 minutes left.

A chastening, sobering defeat for this Cardiff City side, who seem to be taking two steps forward and one step back at the minute.

And you can lay as much blame as you like on the red card, but Cardiff fans cannot think they were anywhere near the better team even before that flashpoint just before the 20-minute mark.

While Cardiff had two flashes from long range, first from Niels Nkounkou and then from Ryan Wintle, it was QPR who were dictating the tempo of the game and even came close with a chance or two of their own.

The visitors' defence looked particularly wobbly and at risk of being carved open at any point. That's exactly what happened when Sinclair Armstrong was slotted through on goal, leaving Simpson almost trailing in his wake as he made a desperate last-ditch effort to quell the forward's powerful run. It looked soft on first glance, though, and many were surprised to seet referee James Linington pointing to the spot. It was even more surprising, however, that he reached for the red card, but that will be a point of contention in the aftermath of