SAFCQueens Park Rangers 1-3 Sunderland AFCSunderland secured their third win from four games on Saturday, as 10-man Queens Park Rangers were defeated at Loftus Road.
Kenneth Paal opened the scoring early on, but Jack Colback was sent off and the Lads responded on the stroke of half time through Jack Clarke.
Following the restart, Dan Ballard’s first goal for the Club handed Tony Mowbray’s side the lead in front of a rapturous away support.
Abdoullah Ba continued his fine form by completing the scoring, as debutant Adil Aouchiche provided the assist and his compatriot volleyed home
Mason Burstow made his first start following a deadline-day move from Chelsea, with Niall Huggins also in the starting XI as Dennis Cirkin and Bradley Dack missed the trip to West London.
The Lads started on the front foot at Loftus Road, as Ballard fired high and wide before penalty appeals were waved away when Clarke tumbled in the 18-yard box.
QPR replied on 12 minutes and drew first blood through Paal, who calmly slotted a low strike through a crowded penalty area to find the bottom corner.
Mowbray’s men were then forced into a change when Alex Pritchard replaced Pierre Ekwah, with the Frenchman unable to continue following an early knock.
Jack Colback was sent off with 21 minutes on the clock following a high and late challenge on Jobe, who had a header ruled out for offside before the half-hour mark.
In the eighth minute of additional time, parity was restored as a deserved stroke of luck saw Clarke’s 20-yard effort deflect beyond a helpless Asmir Begovic.
Excellent play from Pritchard opened the door for Sunderland’s second, with Ballard tapping home the rebound after the attacking midfielder was denied.
Ba almost added a third from a near impossible angle, but he made no mistake with 81 minutes played and slammed home the Lads’ third to secure the points.
Queens Park Rangers: Begovic, Kakay, Cook (Clarke-Salter 74’), Fox, Paal (Larkeche 68’), Colback, Field, Dozzell, Smyth (Dykes 60’), Chair (Willock 68’), Armstrong (Kolli 68’).
Subs not used: Walsh, Adomah, Dixon-Bonner, Duke-McKenna.
Sunderland AFC: Patterson, Ballard, O’Nien, Hume, Huggins (Roberts 45’), Neil, Ekwah (Pritchard 14’), Jobe (Hemir 83’), Ba, Clarke, Burstow (Aouchiche 61’)
Subs not used: Bishop, Seelt, Triantis, Rigg, Bennette.
