Winks’ late goal against QPR sees Leicester march on

Harry Winks’ late goal gave Leicester a 2-1 victory over 10-man QPR and maintained their five-point lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

After Stephy Mavididi opened the scoring, Andre Dozzell equalised shortly before the interval, but was sent off early in the second half.

Struggling QPR – who have now lost six matches in a row and remain one off the bottom of the table – battled hard, but the Foxes eventually made their numerical advantage count with 10 minutes left.

The ball was worked out to Winks, who made space for the shot and rifled in a right-footed strike from the edge of the penalty area for the midfielder’s first Leicester goal since moving from Tottenham.

QPR have won just once at home in more than a year and now have lost all but one of their seven home games this season.

A spirited showing probably somewhat eased the pressure on Gareth Ainsworth, but a defeat away to fellow strugglers Rotherham next weekend would put his future as R’s boss in more doubt.

Leicester dominated possession from the start and QPR had an early let-off when Cesare Casadei headed over from six yards from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner.

However, luck went against Rangers when they fell behind on the half-hour mark.

Mavididi cut in from the left and Albert Adomah’s attempt to block the shot resulted in a looping deflection which went beyond keeper Asmir Begovic and in off the far post.

QPR responded well to the setback and equalised five minutes before half-time.

Lyndon Dykes’ header from Adomah’s cross was cleared off the line by Hamza Choudhury, but the ball dropped to Dozzell, who fired home left-footed from the edge of the penalty area.

Dozzell, though, soon from hero to villain when he was sent off on 59 minutes for two cautions.

Abdul Fatawu reacted angrily to a challenge from Dozzell, who raised a hand towards the Leicester winger and was shown a first yellow card for the foul followed by another for the retaliation.

It reduced QPR to 10 men for the second successive match, with Jimmy Dunne having been dismissed during the midweek loss at West Brom.

Already without injured centre-backs Steve Cook and Morgan Fox, Dunne’s absence further limited Ainsworth’s defensive options as Leicester closed out victory when Winks struck late on.

Rangers can at least take some encouragement from the fight they showed against a Leicester team which has won 13 of their opening 14 league games this season and seem very much on course for promotion back to the Premier League.