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Soccer
QPR and Bristol City maintain unbeaten runs after goalless draw
QPR and Bristol City maintained their recent unbeaten runs by playing out a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road.
The Robins have not lost since Roy Hodgson took interim charge, having won both their first two matches after the former England boss was given the role.
Rangers, meanwhile, are unbeaten in five matches and were able to welcome back Rumarn Burrell, who came on as a substitute after more than three months on the sidelines.
City looked more threatening in the first half and their best chance fell to Scott Twine, who was unable to connect properly with a half-volley.
Goalkeeper Joe Walsh gathered that strike, kept out a shot from Mark Sykes and also parried a deflected effort from Emil Riis before reacting quickly to stop the loose ball from being turned home.
At the other end, Kieran Morgan dragged a shot wide, Richard Kone headed straight at City’s on-loan Manchester United keeper Radek Vitek and Noah Eile almost diverted Paul Smyth’s cross into his own net.
After the interval, Walsh pushed a shot from Twine away for a corner and Smyth sliced a shot wide of the near post following good work on the wing by Rayan Kolli.
With his team struggling to create clear-cut chances, QPR head coach Julien Stephan changed his forward line midway through the second half, sending on Burrell and Daniel Bennie in place of Kone and Kolli.
Burrell made a huge impact following his move from Burton last summer and scored 10 goals before suffering a hamstring tear in January.
The loss of their top scorer was a major blow for Rangers, who were chasing a play-off place at the time. He was given a rousing reception by the home fans when he came on, but was unable to make an immediate impact as the visitors defended well.
Bristol City have kept back-to-back clean sheets and look much more solid and well-organised under Hodgson, who inherited a team that had won just one of their previous nine matches prior to the sacking of manager Gerhard Struber.
Both teams worked hard but there were no chances of note in the closing stages.
The general lack of quality was summed up in stoppage time when Tomi Horvat had an opportunity to put Delano Burgzorg through but over-hit his pass, and Walsh was able to collect.
