Three goals in 12 devastating minutes secured Coventry City’s first away win of the season in an outstanding second half display at Loftus Road. A brace from Ellis Simms sandwiched a delightful finish from Josh Eccles as the Sky Blues blew QPR away in their own back yard where the home side were denied by a brilliant first half save from Ben Wilson.

Simms looked the most likely to score for Coventry from three runs into the box but put one over the bar and saw two saved by the keeper, whom he failed to test. But the striker finally got his goal in the 56th minute when he struck home in the six yard box from flicked on free-kick.

Josh Eccles then doubled the lead four minutes later when a deflected shot fell kindly to him on the edge of the D, leaving the midfielder to hit a precise finish into the far bottom corner. And Simms wrapped things up when he converted a Jamie Allen cross at the far post on 68 minutes. Kenneth Paal then grabbed a consolation goal in the 90th minute after slack marking at the back.

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STARTING FORMATION:

BEN WILSON: 8

Pulled off a brilliant save to his left to deny Dykes what looked to be an almost certain goal in the 17th minute and pushed away a Dozzell effort in the 73rd when City were comfortably 3-0 up.

Ben Wilson saves
Lyndon Dykes of QPR heads a shot at goal which is brilliantly saved by Ben Wilson of Coventry City

BOBBY THOMAS: 6.5

Read the game well with an important early block but failed to get close enough to his man who sent in a cross for Dykes to test Wilson for the first time. Defended well overall.

KYLE McFADZEAN: 7

Held things together at the heart of the back three with his usual strong and uncompromising display. Solid throughout.

LUIS BINKS: 7

Displayed impressive accuracy with a range of passes from his left boot and defended pretty well, albeit giving the ball away with one dreadful mid-placed pass which invited danger. Provided the assist for Simms’ first goal with a cushioned header from a free-kick.

JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE: 6

Deployed out of position at right wing-back in place of the rested Sakamoto, the defender didn’t get forward much in a cautious approach to the first 45 minutes. More involved after the break as City ran riot.

JOSH ECCLES: 7.5

Involved in the thick of the midfield action, doing a decent job in an increasingly flat and scrappy first half. Scored a brilliant precise goal from the edge of the D to double City’s lead and had a hand in the move for the third.

Josh Eccles of Coventry City scores after Osman Kakay of QPR deflects the ball past Asmir Begovic of QPR

LIAM KELLY: 7

Covered lots of ground in a box-to-box display, winning plenty of tackles - including keeping Chris Willock quiet - and trying to find decent passes to the strikers.

JAY DASILVA: 6.5

A decent outlet going forward down the left but needed to get closer to Paul Smyth to cut out a dangerous cross at the other end. Sent in the free-kick for Simms’ first goal.

JAMIE ALLEN: 7.5

Added some much-needed energy to the final third where he was a good outlet for some searching balls from midfield. Set up Simms for his second with a lovely cross in behind QPR’s back line.

Paul Smyth of QPR and Jay Dasilva of Coventry City

MATTY GODDEN: 6

Pressed high from the front with plenty of running but never had a sniff of goal in the first half. Had a hand in the secodn goal when his deflected shot found Eccles. Lively throughout.

ELLIS SIMMS: 8.5

Hit a good early chance over the bar as he once again looked a threat. Had City’s second chance when played down the right and ran into the box where he left his marker on his backside but saw his shot blocked by the keeper. Passed up another excellent chance early in the second half when he attempted to place past the keeper but finally got his goal with a well timed move to convert from close range and hit another terrific finish to convert a Jamie Allen cross at the far post. The striker is up and running!

SUBSTITUTES:

YASIN AYARI (79 mins, for Allen):

HAJI WRIGHT (79 mins, for Simms):

Subs (not used): Brad Collins (GK), Liam Kitching, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Jake Bidwell, Marco Rus, Bradley Stretton, Justin Obikwu.

QPR (3-4-2-1): Asmir Begovic; Osman Kakay, Steve Cook, Morgan Fox (4 mins, for Jake Clarke-Salter); Paul Smyth, Andre Dozzell, Sam Field, Kenneth Paal; Chris Willock, Ilias Chair; Lyndon Dykes.

Subs (not used): Jordan Archer (GK), Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Ziyad Larkeche, Charlie Kelman, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Sinclair Armstrong, Albert Adomah, Rayan Kolli.

GOALS:

QPR: Paal (90)

SKY BLUES: Simms (56, 68), Eccles (60)

REFEREE: Tom Nield

ATTENDANCE: 16, 293 (2,750 away)

NEXT UP: Blackburn Rovers (h) Wednesday, October 4 (7.45pm).