Nedum Onouha helps QPR to hard-fought win at Wigan
Nedum Onouha scored the only goal of a tight game at the DW Stadium that saw QPR edge out Wigan in the Sky Bet Championship.
The big centre-half slammed home from 20 yards at the start of the second half and then played his part as the Rangers rearguard contained everything Wigan could throw at them.
It was Rangers who had the first sight sight of goal inside five minutes but Yeni Ngbakoto's effort was straight at Adam Bogdan.
The Wigan goalkeeper was required again moments later when he had to race off his line to clear an under-hit backpass from Jake Buxton with Ngbakoto sniffing around.
Michael Jacobs was getting plenty of joy down the Wigan left and he almost found Will Grigg in the centre with one left-footed cross.
Rangers had another sight of goal when Tjaronn Cherry was given time and space midway inside the Wigan half.
However, his shot was always too high and Bogdan was able to let it go over.
Sebastian Polter headed wide of Bogdan's goal as half-time approached but credit Wigan for raising their game before the interval.
They had the ball in the net after 39 minutes when Luke Garbutt's cross was headed home cleverly at the far post by Craig Morgan, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside.
Then, in the three added minutes, Nick Powell was penalised for a foul in the process of slotting home from inside the six-yard box.
Rangers would have been the happier to hear the half-time whistle and they made the most of their break by taking the lead within three minutes of the restart.
The Wigan backline couldn't clear their lines from a free-kick and Onouha smashed home from the edge of the box for his second goal of the season.
Wigan's response was to throw on Yanic Wildschut and they were almost level on the hour mark.
Jacobs' cross from the right went all the way through the box to Garbutt on the far post and his left-foot shot was brilliantly saved at full stretch by Alex Smithies.
It was almost game over when Jordan Cousins manufactured a shooting chance for himself on the edge of the Wigan box, only for Jake Buxton to throw himself in the way of the ball.
Wigan sent on Jordi Gomez for his second 'debut' and Craig Davies in the final quarter but still the Rangers rearguard were holding out.
Max Power fired wide as full-time approached but Wigan knew it wasn't to be their day when Grigg headed just over and then bundled the ball just wide in stoppage time.
Source : PA
Source: PA