Queens Park Rangers beat Leeds in Garry Monk's first game

Paul Harding / EMPICS Sport

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Garry Monk's first competitive game in charge of Leeds ended in a 3-0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

Rangers went ahead following a fourth-minute error by their former goalkeeper Rob Green, making his Leeds debut, before Tjaronn Chery added a second from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after Jordan Cousins had been fouled in the area by Ronaldo Vieira.

And Sebastian Polter struck in injury time when he got in front of Lewie Coyle to collect Nedum Onuoha's diagonal ball and fire into the top corner from a tight angle.

The opening goal came after Leeds failed to deal with a corner and the ball scooped into the air after Vieira had blocked on the line to deny first Polter and then Ben Gladwin.

In the scramble which followed, Green fumbled and although Onuoha was initially credited with the goal after appearing to head home from close range, the ball in fact went in off Leeds defender Sol Bamba.

Monk's start to his Leeds reign could hardly have been worse.

After seeing his team go behind, he was soon forced to make a change when right-back Gaetano Berardi limped off and was replaced by Coyle.

And as Rangers continued to press, Leeds were rescued by the woodwork twice before half-time.

The lively Chery cut in from the left and Vieira's attempted clearance ricocheted off the Dutch midfielder and hit the post.

The visitors then had another let-off when Polter found space on the right, evaded two challenges and fired against the same post.

Leeds improved after the break and Matt Grimes went close with a free-kick that whizzed over the bar.

But they were soon on the back foot again and Green saved at his near post to deny Chery after he had linked up with fellow Dutchman Nasser El Khayati.

El Khayati, on as a substitute, then brought an even better save from Green when he turned away from Stuart Dallas and unleashed a powerful shot that the former England goalkeeper dived to his left to push away.

Cousins, on for his debut, also made a swift impact after being introduced from the bench. The midfielder, signed from Charlton this summer, collected Steven Caulker's pass and was bundled over by Vieira.

Chery, who netted 10 goals last season, calmly slotted the resulting spot-kick beyond Green to put Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side in complete control.

New signing Marcus Antonsson wasted a chance for Leeds when he dragged a shot wide after finding himself through on goal and then also blazed over at the far post after another rare Leeds attack.

However, Rangers were generally comfortable and their win was thoroughly deserved.

Chery, the game's stand-out player, brought another save from Green, whose second-half display atoned in part for his costly early mistake.

But Green could do nothing about Polter's fine goal in the dying seconds.

ends