Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0
Josh Koroma scored one and made another for Harry Toffolo as Huddersfield Town beat QPR to win only their third game in ten and condemn QPR to a third defeat in a row.
The Terriers made several changes from the side that lost 3-0 at Cardiff City.
Carlos Corberan called on experience as Pipa, Isaac Mbenza, and Fraizer Campbell were restored to the starting lineup while Demeaco Duhaney, Matty Daly, and Danny Ward dropped to the bench.
Koroma got the Terriers an early start after just 3 minutes when he was allowed to cut inside from the left flank and given plenty of room to curl the opener into the top corner beyond the grasp of Seny Dieng for his fifth strike of the season after being put through by Carel Eiting.
And Harry Toffolo was denied a quickfire second two minutes later when Dieng had to react quick to block a close range shot by the Town left back when the R’s were left their right flank exposed again.
Koroma tried a long range shot midway through the half which sailed over while the visitors didn’t force a save from Ben Hamer until Chris Willock, who was on loan at Town last season from Benfica, tried a shot which the Hamer saved.
Rob Dickie took one for the team when he blocked a fierce shot by Fraizer Campbell just inside the box and needed treatment midway through the first half.
For all their possession and build-up Rangers didn’t look like scoring a goal, their intensity in the final third was lacking and Ilias Chair wasted a free kick by sending it well wide while Koroma set up Campbell for a low drive which Dieng had to block.
Town got their second after 39 minutes with Koroma setting up Toffolo for a rolled finish inside the back post – his second goal of the season – showing that the Terriers had clearly done their homework on the visitors and a weakness in their right flank.
QPR boss Mark Warburton replaced Lyndon Dykes with Macauley Bonne at half time but Town almost extended their lead through Koroma again but he was denied after a block by Todd Kane and Dieng was called into action soon after that.
Willock and QPR captain Geoff Cameron were withdrawn for George Thomas and Dominic Ball after 56 minutes as Warburton changed things again.
And Ball escaped serious action when he was only booked for a bad tackle on Koroma as the substitute let the ball run away from him.
And Town missed another chance to out the game out of reach after 65 minutes when Pipa squared the ball to Lewis O’Brien from the right but his effort was tipped away by Dieng.
Corberan made his first changes of the game with 17 minutes to go, bringing on Ward and Juninho Bacuna for Pipa and Campbell.
Christopher Schindler suffered a serious looking knee injury while falling heavily after stretching to tackle Bright Osayi-Samuel shortly after that.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green was pressed into action after a lengthy injury break and replaced the Town captain.
Yoann Barbet’s low drive was deflected behind for a corner by Toffolo while Chair tried a 30 yard effort which was collected by Hamer.
QPR’s final two subs saw Osayi-Samuel and Chair replaced by Charlie Kelman and Albert Adoma while Isaac Mbenza was replaced by Demeaco Duhaney for the last three minutes.
Thomas won a free kick 20 yards out in the first minute of seven minutes of injury time but Ball could only place his free kick tamely into the arms of Hamer as Town saw out the win comfortably.
GOALS – Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0
Huddersfield Town 1, QPR 0: 3. Josh Koroma was allowed space to cut in from the left and curl in Town’s opener inside the top corner after a pass by Carel Eiting.
Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0: 39. Harry Toffolo rolled in Town’s second after Josh Koroma put the full back through with a pass down the left channel.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0
Huddersfield Town: Hamer, Pipa (Bacuna 73), Schindler (C) (Edmonds-Green 79), Sarr, Toffolo, Eiting, Hogg, O’Brien, Mbenza (Duhaney 87), Campbell (Ward 73), Koroma
Huddersfield Town Subs not used: Schofield, Pritchard, Diakhaby, Brown, Daly
Goals: Koroma 3, Toffolo 39
QPR: Dieng, Kane, Dickie, Barbet, Hamalainen, Cameron (C) (Thomas 56), Carroll, Osayi-Samuel (Kelman 82), Chair (Adomah 82), Willock (Ball 56), Dykes (Bonne 46)
QPR Subs not used: Kelly, Masterson, Kakay, Bettache
Booked: Ball 61 (bad tackle on Josh Koroma), Osayi-Samuel 71 (bad foul on Lewis O’Brien)
Referee: Dean Whitestone