Sheffield Wednesday ‘will keep fighting and going for every point we can’

Manager Darren Moore was not at Loftus Road as he is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 but he faces a huge task in trying to keep them in the Sky Bet Championship. They are seven points adrift of safety with just six matches left to play.

Asked if the players still feel they can stay up, Smith said: “Yes. We’ve got no choice. We’ll come in, watch the match back, learn from it, reflect on it and go again.

“We’ll fight for all 18 points that are left available. That’s our mentality.

“It is a big blow, but we don’t get too high with wins or too low with losses. We’ll just keep fighting and going for every point we can.”

Wednesday were desperately hoping to build on their recent stunning 5-0 thrashing of Cardiff City.

Josh Windass hauled them level after Lyndon Dykes’s opener but a mistake by goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith led to QPR regaining the lead shortly after half-time.

Wildsmith allowed Stefan Johansen’s deflected shot to squirm past him before Dykes’s second goal of the match and Chris Willock’s cool late finish sealed a resounding win for Rangers.

Smith admitted that Wildsmith’s error was a huge blow. “From our point of view it wasn’t great. We could have defended better. But credit to QPR, they were very clinical.

“We were positive, on the front foot, and we had a lot of the ball in the final third but couldn’t get that final touch to finish them off.

“On a different day maybe we’d put three or four away and it’s a different game.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s good that we’re getting into those positions. I’d probably be more disappointed if we weren’t getting into those positions.”

QPR manager Mark Warburton praised striker Dykes, who has scored four goals in as many appearances.

Prior to that, the Scotland international, signed from Livingston last summer, had scored just once from open play for the R’s.

“Lyndon deserves so much credit. He’s worked hard,” said Warburton. “He had that barren spell but he’s come through that and he’s never stopped working.

“Today you saw his movement, his control and, of course, getting the two goals. My only criticism: go and get your hat-trick. Be a bit more selfish and get your three goals. But he deserves enormous credit.”

Queens Park Rangers: Dieng, Dickie, De Wijs (Adomah 69), Barbet, Kakay; Johansen (Bettache 81), Field (Ball 81), Wallace, Willock; Chair (Thomas 76), Dykes. Unused substitutes: Lumley, Kane, Bonne, Hamalainen, Kelman.

Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith, Urhoghide (Harris 71), Lees, Borner, Palmer; Hutchinson (Pelupessy 83), Bannan, Reach, Windass; Paterson (Kachunga 70), Rhodes (Green 71). Unused substitutes: Westwood, Penney, Brown, Shaw, Brennan.

Referee: J Brooks (Leicestershire).

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