LEICESTER CITY’S lead at the top of the Championship has been cut to just three points with 11 games to go after relegation-threatened QPR claimed a surprise 2-1 victory at the King Power Stadium.
Goals from Ilias Chair and substitute Sinclair Armstrong – who scored with his first touch after coming on just before the hour – earned Rangers their third successive victory.
The Foxes quickly pulled a goal back through teenage defender Ben Nelson but they could not find an equaliser as they slumped to a third league defeat in a row, with second-placed Ipswich Town now closing in on them.
Southampton are also well in the mix, five points off the automatic promotion place after a dramatic 4-3 win away to Birmingham City saw Republic of Ireland international Gavin Bazunu, Ryan Manning and Will Smallbone triumph.
The result at Leicester, though, was a valuable one for QPR, lifting them one place up the table and outside the bottom three on goal difference.
Leicester began the game boosted by promotion rivals Leeds drawing at struggling Huddersfield, but they were punished by Dubliner Armstrong.
The Republic of Ireland striker, who was capped at senior level last year and remains part of the U21 set up, came on as a 57th-minute substitute and made an immediate impact to give Marti Cifuentes’ side a two-goal lead.
Jimmy Dunne’s header found Sam Field in the penalty area and he stopped the ball before Armstrong followed up to score with a powerful drive.
Leicester pulled a goal back three minutes later to give themselves a lifeline but it was no more than that.
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Blackburn Rovers dropped to 17th in the table after a 2-1 away defeat to Swansea City.
Sammie Szmodics netted his 19th Championship goal of the season for the visitors but it was no more than a consolation.
The forward could earn his first Ireland caps next month when interim boss John O’Shea takes charge for the friendlies with Belgium and Switzerland.
In League One, reigning PFA Ireland young player of year Jack Moylan made first start for Lincoln City since joining from Shelbourne in January as they drew 0-0 at home to Stevenage.
Current Ireland U21 international Bosun Lawal scored a brace for Fleetwood Town while former underage midfielder Gavin Kilkenny also found the net in a 4-2 win at home to Wigan Athletic.
And there was drama in League Two as former Derry City striker Ronan Curtis, capped seven times at senior level with Ireland, scored a sensational 94th-minute winner for Wimbledon in their bitter derby with MK Dons.
Additional reporting – David Sneyd
