Chaplin hat-trick helps fire struggling Barnsley to victory over QPR

Conor Chaplin’s hat-trick helped struggling Barnsley beat QPR 5-3 to record only their third Championship victory of the season.

Barnsley took a seventh minute lead when Jacob Brown did well on the right-hand side, creating space for himself and sending over a low cross which resulted in a fine, first-time finish from Chaplin.

Rangers levelled five minutes later when Jordan Hugill’s curling effort came back off a post and Amos was on hand to sweep the ball into the unguarded net.

Chaplin (18) struck again to restore Barnsley’s lead, rifling in a shot at the far post from Alex Mowatt’s corner.

Rangers keeper Joe Lumley had to make a good save to prevent a third goal when Todd Kane went close to diverting the ball into his own net following a cross into the area.

Eberechi Eze put a free-kick over the bar as the visitors went in search of an equaliser before the interval.

Cauley Woodrow fired over before the hosts took a 3-1 lead in the 52nd minute.

The goal came when Brown had a shot beaten away by Lumley, Chaplin got on the end of the loose ball and fired into the net to complete his hat-trick.

Rangers reduced the arrears just two minutes later when Amos grabbed his second goal of the match after keeper Sami Radlinger could only parry Ryan Manning’s shot.

Woodrow restored Barnsley’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot on the hour-mark after he was fouled inside the area.

Rangers had a good chance to score when Nahki Wells pulled the ball back to Bright Osayi-Samuel inside the area, but he shot well over.

Radlinger made a superb save to keep out a shot from Eze and then substitute Ilias Chair’s shot struck the bar with his first touch just moments after coming on.

A fifth goal, scored by Bambo Diaby, effectively killed-off any hopes Rangers had of staging a comeback. Brown got to the byline, sent over a low cross and Diaby (82) hammered the ball into the net from close range.

A flare-up in the closing stages of the game, involving most of the players, resulted in referee Keith Stroud handing out several yellow cards.

Chair scored a third goal for the visitors in stoppage time, with the referee blowing the final whistle as soon as the game re-started.

The result boosts Barnsley’s survival hopes while denying Rangers a third straight win.