Queens Park Rangers 2-3 Bournemouth: Premier League side fight back to reach FA Cup fourth round- QHN

Premier League Bournemouth scored three second-half goals as they recovered from 2-0 down to win at Championship strugglers Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup third round.

Two goals in as many first-half minutes from Sinclair Armstrong and Lyndon Dykes had put Marti Cifuentes’ side firmly in the driving seat at Loftus Road, after the Cherries had spurned several good opportunities to get their noses in front.

But Andoni Iraola’s side emerged for the second half with a point to prove and halved the deficit through Marcus Tavernier’s deflected effort, before Kieffer Moore’s towering header restored parity 10 minutes later.

And Kluivert converted midway through the second period to spark jubilant scenes among the 3,000-strong visiting contingent.

Dykes almost got on the end of a low cross to make it 3-3, but Max Aarons managed to beat the QPR striker to the ball and the home side were unable to make the most of the resulting corner.

The visitors will discover their fourth-round opponents when the draw takes place on 8 January.

Cherries make amends for wasteful first half

Bournemouth’s impressive seven-match unbeaten run came to an end at Tottenham last weekend, but despite making seven changes at Loftus Road they settled quickly and went close through Moore’s header inside two minutes.

The Cherries were a persistent threat down the left in the first half but Billing, Luis Sinisterra and Alex Scott all failed to hit the target from promising positions – and QPR took full advantage of the visitors’ profligacy.

Armstrong, whose last goal came in a 2-1 victory over Cardiff back in August, had already stung Travers’ palms from a tight angle before his well-taken opener, which came following a fine solo run from the 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international.

While there was an element of fortune in Dykes’ strike, which hit Aarons on its way past Travers, it was no less than Cifuentes’ team deserved for their first-half efforts – but they were unable to sustain their momentum in the second half as Bournemouth came roaring back.

Iraola brought on Kluivert and Ryan Christie at the break and the changes paid off as his team fought back to level 13 minutes into the second half.

It seemed only a matter of time before the Cherries completed the turnaround, and Kluivert converted nine minutes after Moore’s equaliser to break the home side’s resolve.

Bournemouth nearly made it 4-2 late on when Tavernier’s free-kick struck the top of the crossbar, but the visitors held on comfortably to seal their place in the next round.