Tjaronn Chery’s spectacular free-kick wasn’t enough to give QPR a first win over Blackburn Rovers at Loftus Road since 1993.

The diminutive Dutchman fired an underwhelming Rangers in front with a fabulous hit 25 minutes from time.

However, Sam Gallagher levelled for the Championship’s bottom club eight minutes later to unhappily herald eight meetings since Rs got the better of Rovers in west London.

As for Preston three weeks back, the first half was dour.

Indeed, the Championship basement boys were closer to breaking the deadlock.

Tommie Hoban headed an early chance narrowly wide, while Hope Akpan scuffed another effort wide after good approach play by Jason Lowe.

And Sam Gallagher saw his header in stoppage time kneed over his own bar by Jake Bidwell.

Rangers mustered little in response, a James Perch volley which narrowly cleared the bar the only effort to raise the pulse of the faithful.

Return: Nasser El Khayati

Sebastian Polter didn’t reappear for the second half, but Rangers began with more urgency and were close to the opener two minutes in when El Khayati expertly pulled down a ball in from the right and hit a close range shot blocked by the legs of Jason Steele.

Smithies did well to palm away a Corry Evans effort at the other end just after the hour, Gordon Greer firing over from close range from the resulting corner.

It proved an expensive miss as reprieved Rangers took the lead in style on 65 minutes.

After so much poor football, it took a stunning left-footed set-piece from Tjaronn Chery to break the deadlock, his thunderous effort crashing down off the underside of the bar.

Nice one! Tjaronn Chery gets the gratitude

Substitute Conor Washington missed a glorious chance to double the lead when he fired wide three minutes later.

The hosts were though still far from convincing and needed Gareth Hall’s superb challenge to deny Gallagher a tap in.

The striker wasn’t to be denied a second time however, levelling from close range from the resulting set-piece.

With the game now more open Steele’s save prevented Washington restoring the Rs’ advantage.

And the former British Olympian denied substitute Idrissa Sylla a fairy-tale start to life with the hoops by keeping out his low drive with a minute left.

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