QPR 1-0 Sunderland: Austin bags hoops first win

QPR grabbed their first points and win of the season thanks to Charlie Austin's strike in first half stoppage time which was enough to beat lacklustre Sunderland

The only goal of this open clash came in the first of two added minutes at the end of the first half courtesy of Rangers striker Charlie Austin who rifled into the top corner after Leroy Fer had knocked Joey Barton's corner back into the danger area. 

However it was Sunderland who made the better start to the game by threatening in the first minute when Patrick Van Aanholt hit the side netting after Connor Wickham found him on the overlap. The hosts also had a big chance in the opening five minutes when Rio Ferdinand had a header cleared off the line by Wickham from a corner.

The visitors most clear cut chance came with just ten minutes on the clock when Steven Fletcher was put in down the left side of the box by Adam Johnson only to try and dink Robert Green who turned the ball away with his right hand.

Onto the half hour mark and the most exciting moment of the game at that point when Fer was given far too much space close to 30 yards out and he nearly punished Sunderland by unleashing a ferocious right foot shot which had Vito Mannone beat and the crossbar shaking for a while. 

Harry Redknapp's side took charge of things at the end of the first period and Austin could have scored earlier than he did when Mannone saved at his feet after Fer played him in. This pressure told when right at the end of the half Sunderland switched off from a Barton corner as Fer got above Cattermole and nodded it down for Austin who rifled in right footed.

Throughout the second half Sunderland had more control of the game which was to be suspected as QPR  sat back and protected their lead. Two big chances arrived in as many minutes for Sunderland early in the second half as first Rodwell scuffed a shot straight at Green following good work by Van Anaholt again down the left, then Vergini did a similar thing on the right side of the box courtesy of a great cross field ball by Larsson.

Not a lot of chances followed in the last half hour of the game but with the introduction of Emmanuele Giaccherini Sunderland looked a bit more like unlocking the QPR defence. It was the little Italian who had the Black Cats best chance late on when after the Hoops only half cleared a corner the ball fell to the creative midfielder 25 yards out and he hit a great right foot shot which looked top corner bound only for Green to claw away high to his right.

A huge first win for QPR this season coming at home against a Sunderland side who lack quality in the final third and should be busy on deadline day.

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