QPR were denied at the death when Leroy Fer's elbow saw them shoved off a deserved point.

The Dutchman's handball on the line was spotted by an assistant. He took the long walk, and Grant Leadbitter took a much shorter one to convert the winning penalty.

Rs may have been denied at the death, but how did that happen, and what were the other crucial talking points from the defeat?

Defending has to be 95 minutes long

Ex-QPR boss Ian Holloway reckoned one defender losing his man at the last corner killed Rangers.

Daniel Ayala slipped away from James Perch and was able to overhead goalwards. Fer's instinctive arm came out on the line. He got a red card; Boro got the penalty, and it was good night to a deserved daw.

Matt Phillips as a centre forward?

Actually, Matt Phillips as an orthodox winger is struggling right now.

Again Olly, who knows him from their time together at Blackpool, would like to see a smile back on the player's face. Phillips is all about confidence and he could have done with one of the two golden chances he squandered.

The second as he swung a boot at fresh air with the goal gaping just about sums up his luck.

Grant Hall and Nedum Onuoha are the best thing about QPR right now.

The two centre backs were on top of their game at the Riverside. Onuoha's last-ditch tackle as he nicked the ball off the toe of David Nugent was top drawer.

Admittedly, Hall might have done better with a glancing header in one of the few Rs chances in attack, but there was little wrong with his performance in his own final third.

Leroy Fer the £8m man looks lightweight

Forget the red card. Anyone would have stuck out an elbow to protect a 0-0 draw at the death.

But as the accomplished number 10 he craves to be, the Dutchman barely got into this game. He will be remembered for one weak shot straight at the keeper when in a good position.

Yun as left winger should be given another go

You need a bit of pace in attack, and the Korean international is not the most robust defender for a tough league. He looked OK on the left, and one might remember the other options.