QPR 1 Huddersfield Town 2: David Wagner hails Danny Ward after Terriers' '˜lucky' victory

Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Danny Ward kept QPR at bay to help earn the visitors victory (Picture: Tony Johnson).

The Terriers boosted their promotion hopes by moving into third place with victory at Loftus Road, where first-half goals from Izzy Brown and Nahki Wells put them in control.

Luke Freeman pulled a goal back on the hour-mark and Wagner admitted Rangers deserved at least a point.

“We have to be honest; we were not at our best and I think we were lucky,” said Wagner after a fifth successive win.

“QPR were very good. They were very aggressive, created on the wings and our ’keeper Danny Ward was by miles the best player on the pitch, which I think says everything.

“We got three lucky points, but three points are three points and we are so happy to have got them.

“We should not forget also that we scored two wonderful goals and created other opportunities as well. But, in my opinion, QPR deserved more than they got. It doesn’t change that we have got the three points, though.

“We scored two great goals and in the second half we were unable to keep the pressure off. But how we defended, and how Wardy kept us in the game and how we fought to keep the ball out of our net was great to see.”

On-loan Chelsea youngster Brown, who also scored against QPR while on loan at Rotherham earlier in the season, struck on 26 minutes.

A slick Terriers move culminated in Wells crossing low from the left for Brown to score from close range – the 20-year-old midfielder’s fourth goal in six starts since joining Huddersfield.

The impressive Wells doubled the lead after another fine move 10 minutes later, rifling a right-footed shot into the far corner from right-hand side of the penalty area.

QPR manager Ian Holloway is convinced his team will get enough points to stay up.

Rangers are 19th, just five points above the relegation zone, after their eighth home league defeat of the season.

Holloway agreed with Wagner’s view that Rangers did not deserve to lose, against a side he had tipped for relegation pre-season.

“That’s what a venomous snake does to you. It bites you – and we got bitten twice,” he said.

Queens Park Rangers: Smithies, Onuoha, Hall, Perch, Wszolek (Ngbakoto 80), Luongo, Manning, Bidwell (LuaLua 53), Mackie (Freeman 54), Smith, Washington. Unused substitutes: Goss, Ingram, Furlong, Sylla.

Huddersfield Town: Ward, Cranie (Smith 80), Hefele, Schindler, Lowe, Hogg (Billing 20), Mooy, Kachunga, Brown, van La Parra (Lolley 79), Wells. Unused substitutes: Coleman, Payne, Quaner, Stankovic.

Referee: P Bankes (Merseyside).