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Queens Park Rangers vs Plymouth Argyle. Sky Bet Championship.

Loftus Road StadiumAttendance14,779.

Wasteful Pilgrims miss out

Image: Sturrock: Still not safe

Wasteful Plymouth blew several chances to seal a win at QPR which would have guaranteed their Championship status.

Goalless stalemate at Loftus Road as Pilgrims fail to convert chances

Wasteful Plymouth blew several chances to seal a win at QPR which would have guaranteed their Championship status. Instead Paul Sturrock's side must now get a draw at least against Barnsley in their last tie of the season to stay up. The Pilgrims dominated proceedings at Loftus Road but Karl Duguid, Carl Fletcher and Ashley Barnes were among those to miss good chances. Heidar Helguson came closest with a header for Rangers who were poor on their last home outing of the season. QPR caretaker boss Gareth Ainsworth called Patrick Agyemang back into the starting XI, his first appearance for four months following with a thigh injury. Sturrock named an unchanged side as he went in search of the three points which would have sealed the Pilgrims' status in the division for another season.

Bright start

It was the visitors who started the brighter and Paul Gallagher had the first chance of the game after eight minutes when he smashed the ball over the bar. Duguid had an even better opportunity to put the Pilgrims ahead but his shot at full stretch flew over the bar from close range as the visitors controlled the early exchanges. Unbeaten in their three previous visits to Loftus Road, Plymouth looked likely to continue that run and did not resemble a side with the fear of relegation looming over them. Rangers' first chance came after 22 minutes when Mikele Leigertwood unleashed a long-range strike which sailed just wide. The chances continued to fall for Argyle as Fletcher's shot was blocked by Gavin Mahon and then Barnes' turn and shot flew wide from six yards. QPR's Helguson came close shortly before half-time but his header drifted wide.
Second period
Ainsworth made an early change to his side in the second half replacing Lee Cook with Angelo Balanta as he urged his side to push forward and grab a goal. The change failed to make an immediate impact though as Plymouth continued their first half dominance. Gallagher volleyed wide from the edge of the area before he flighted a corner in which bounced around the area before being smashed clear by Kaspars Gorkss. The second half seemed to lack the excitement of the first period with both sides content to sit back and look after the point on offer. Alan Judge looked to have put Sturrock's side ahead when he drilled the ball towards the goal after Rangers had only half cleared Gallagher's corner but the ball went wide of Radek Cerny's post. With 11 minutes to play a well-worked corner from Balanta found Matthew Connolly on the edge of the area but his effort from the outside the box whistled wide of the upright. Moments later, Helguson made a surging run through the Plymouth half but he drilled his effort from the edge of the area over the bar. Gallagher had a chance late on but he drilled his shot over the bar from the angle as the game finished all square.

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