Two more points went begging for Cardiff City in their battle against relegation as they were forced to come away from QPR with a goalless draw.
It was a game of very low quality from both sides, with the hosts the better team before the break and the Bluebirds fighting back without really looking too troubling in the second half.
Swansea City's win over Derby County in SA1 helped to claw Cardiff back level on terms with the Rams, but a 94th-minute winner for Hull City saw them pull three points clear of the drop. Luton Town's unlikely draw with Leeds United kept them in pace with the Bluebirds, too, while Oxford United, another relegation rival, pulled off an even more unlikely win against title-contenders Sheffield United.
While the Bluebirds fought hard, the lack of quality will be a concern, particularly given this was considered to be a "winnable" game by many. But with six games to go, and Cardiff still in 22nd, they must now all be viewed as winnable and the points tally needs to start tracking in the right direction. The team's inability to win games — they have failed to win 31 of their 40 league games this season, incredible — is starting to cost them dearly.
It was a relatively lively start to the game for Cardiff, who looked to have started in the same fashion that they started against Sheffield Wednesday last week. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
However, that bright start quickly fizzled after 10 minutes and they hosts settled in and began to pile the pressure on to the visitors. Paul Smyth glided through the midfield pair of Sivert Mannsverk and Rubin Colwill before rifling a low shot into Ethan Horvath's arms.
Mannsverk was also lucky not to give away a penalty midway through the first half, too, when he produced a clumsy challenge on Alfie Lloyd, but he was saved by a late offside flag.
Cardiff's only real chance came through Colwill when he blazed a 25-yard effort inches wide of the mark, but that was about as good as it got for the visitors in the first half.
Riza knew he had to make sweeping changes or else this game would quickly run away from him and he did just that. Ollie Tanner, Callum Robinson and Jesper Daland were all summoned at the break and it did make a difference.
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Cardiff started to apply pressure of their own and started to play in more dangerous areas. Yousef Salech had a huge opportunity when he muscled his way into the box, but smashed his left-footed effort inches over the crossbar.
Colwill then found substitute Tanner with a clipped cross and the latter belted a volley whistling past the upright. The visiting fans were now roaring.
Yakou Meite also sent a header over the bar from close range from a late Callum O'Dowda corner and you felt it just wasn't going to happen for them at Loftus Road. The zip and fizz had gone and the quality was not of the standard expected.
It might be viewed as five points from the last three games, perhaps, but at this stage it's simply not going to cut the mustard.
QPR XI: Nardi; Dunne, Edwards, Morrison, Paal; Colback, Field (Varane 54); Smyth, Andersen (Dembele 54), Yang (Morgan 61); Lloyd (Bennie 54).
Subs: Walsh, Madsen, Ashby, Fox, Sutton.
Cardiff City XI: Horvath; Rinomhota, Fish, Bagan (Daland 46), O'Dowda; Mannsverk, Colwill; Davies (Tanner 46), Ashford (Meite 66), Alves (Robinson 46); Salech.
Subs: Turner, Goutas, Robertson, Turnbull.
90+1
O'Dowda finds Meite, who heads over the bar! Another big chance slips through their fingers.
89
Mistake from QPR allows Robinson in. He feeds Salech who then looks to cut it back to Tanner, but the home defenders get back in time to intercept it.
87
Fish sends in a great cross to Robinson, but the Irishman steers his header over the bar. A decent chance goes begging.
84
Best chance of the game for QPR. Smyth curls one towards the near post but Horvath flies to his left to save.
81
Tanner is released down the left and fires a cross in towards Salech, but it has too much fizz on it.
80
Huge defensive effort from O'Dowda there to stop Dembele in on goal. Gets in to nick the ball away before he can pull the trigger.
71
Salech from distance - but straight at Nardi! He had better options there, the striker.
70
Colwill finds Tanner with a clipped cross. Tanner hammers a volley first time but it flies past the post! Cardiff ramping it up here, encouraging signs for the visitors.
69
Salech with some superb hold-up play in the box before feeding Colwill, who then finds Meite, who stabs a ball low into a decent area - but it's cleared. Looked on for a second, there.
65
Big chance! Robinson and Salech combine and the latter smashes a left-footed effort just over the bar!
58
Salech bundles his way into the box before being hauled down. Huge claims for a penalty but it's waved away!
56
Robinson finds Tanner on the left and he cuts inside before trying to rifle one on goal - but it's blocked.
55
Rinomhota tries to muscle past Paal and into the box, but the ball trickles out for a goal kick.
51
Cardiff just feeling their way into these changes. Daland has brought some physicality at the back at least.
46
Back under way!
Ollie Tanner, Callum Robinson and Jesper Daland are on.
Davies, Alves and Bagan off.
