QPR 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2: A night when a little bit of pride was brought back

The team let themselves, manager Garry Monk and their long-suffering supporters down badly last Saturday.

But the players took the criticism on the chin following their 5-0 hammering and restored some much-needed pride against Queens Park Rangers.

Roared on by a noisy sold-out away contingent of around 3,000, Wednesday booked their place in the FA Cup fifth round for only the fourth time in the last 11 years after goals either side of half-time from Morgan Fox and Sam Winnall.

Rs substitute Nahki Wells pulled a goal back deep into added on time, pouncing on a mistake by Cameron Dawson.

But the Owls held on to claim a third consecutive away from home this calendar year.

Monk, in the build up to the trip to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, had called on his players to respond after their Rovers rout. Their humiliating defeat prompted Monk to hold a training ground inquest. He demanded the team use the defeat as motivation.

“Wins breed confidence; losses like the one at the weekend, of course that’s a dent to the pride, to the ego," said Monk.

“After that result, I expect to see a real fight - that should be in you anyway, regardless."

It was a tie Monk was rightly taking seriously following an alarming run of four losses from their last five Championship outings.

He made a raft of changes but still fielded a strong-looking side in the capital. Although Monk gave the night off to midfield trio Barry Bannan, Massimo Luongo and Kieran Lee, the starting XI was still packed full of experience and pace in the wide positions.

Jacob Murphy caused the hosts a number of problems with his speed and trickery on the right flank in the early stages. He raced onto a sublime crossfield pass from Sam Hutchinson in the 18th minute before seeing his fierce right foot shot from an acute angle turned behind by Joe Lumley.

Wednesday carried the greater threat in the opening quarter. They pressed QPR high and in numbers, giving them as little time on the ball as possible.

It took a combination of Lumley and powerful Rs centre-back Toni Leistner to prevent Jordan Rhodes from getting on the end of Murphy's delightful cross to the near post.

But QPR, 5-1 winners in the previous round against Swansea City, almost caught the Owls on the counter attack when Ilias Chair teed up Marc Pugh, who fizzed a right foot drive narrowly wide.

It was far from a cup classic.

Yet Wednesday were strong, resolute and compact defensively, restricting to few clear sights at goal.

And the visitors grabbed the initiative in the 43rd minute after a quick piece of thinking from Hutchinson. The Owls won a throw in and the defensive midfielder took it quickly to put Fox in the clear. Fox held his nerve in the final third, toe-poking a left foot efort past Lumley to claim his third of the season.Who needs a new striker when you have a Fox in the box?!

Wednesday almost bagged a second on the stroke of half-time when Fox slipped in Kadeem Harris, who jinked into the penalty area before being denied by the reflexes of Lumley.

Things got scrappy after the break and the Owls were forced to make a change in midfield after Hutchinson picked up a knock. He was replaced in the centre by highly-rated academy player Alex Hunt. It was only Hunt's second senior outing and his first since Sunderland in the League Cup back in August 2018.

Wednesdayites were in fine voice, singing 'Que Sera Sera, we're going to Wembley'. There is still plenty of football to be played before that dream becomes a reality but this was another big hurdle cleared.

But QPR were much better in the second half and put them under the cosh in the latter stages. The introduction of skilful winger Bright Osayi-Samuel sparked Mark Warburton's side into life.

Ebere Eze forced Cameron Dawson into action on two occasions, Todd Kane scuffed wide when well-placed and Jordan Hugill's composure in the final third also deserted him when it mattered the most.

There were times when the Owls had to defend their lives, with Fox throwing his body on the line to block Eze's rasping drive after more neat approach play.

With 13 minutes remaining, a huge defensive mix-up nearly presented substitute Atdhe Nuhiu with the opportunity to double Wednesday's lead but Lumley recovered in the nick of time.

After Harris curled wide, Winnall added a second, finishing off a free-flowing move involving Nuhiu and Adam Reach.

Moments later, Dawson tried to play out from the back and was caught out by Wells, who rounded the goalkeeper and fired home.

But the Owls had proved their point and held their nerve to end a run of four consecutive defeats against QPR.

QPR: Lumley; Kane, Leistner, Masterson, Manning; Ball; Clarke (Osayi-Samuel 66), Chair (Wells 73), Eze, Pugh; Hugill. Substitutes: Hall, Barnes, Cameron, Shodipo, Amos.

Owls: Dawson; Odubajo, Borner, Lees, Fox; Murphy (Reach 72), Pelupessy, Hutchinson (Hunt 54), Harris; Winnall, Rhodes (Nuhiu 76). Substitutes: Wildsmith, Borukov, Iorfa, Urhoghide.

Attendance: 11,871

Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire)