Last updated on .From the section Football

QPR striker Charlie Austin has scored seven goals this season

Managerless QPR failed to win for the third successive match as Preston North End secured a point in the Championship at Loftus Road.

Neil Warnock took temporary charge of QPR after Chris Ramsey's dismissal but his side struggled in front of goal.

In a tepid first half, Sandro came closest to opening the scoring for the hosts when he fired over from range.

The visitors almost stole all three points late on when Robert Green saved Bailey Wright's headed effort.

The result stretched North End's unbeaten run to six games as they secured a club record-equalling sixth consecutive clean sheet.

In a quiet first half, the visitors could have taken an early lead when Paul Gallagher sent a corner into the box which Joe Garner latched onto, but Grant Hall cleared.

Sandro almost gave QPR the lead when his long-range shot went just over the bar, before Junior Hoilett teed up Charlie Austin, but his effort went wide.

Preston could have gone in at the break ahead when Gallagher again set up Garner, but his volley flew over.

After the break, QPR applied early pressure and were almost rewarded when Austin laid the ball onto Hoilett, but his scuffed shot was scooped up by Jordan Pickford.

North End broke back and, after Hall's headed clearance, the ball fell to Adam Reach who fired wide before Wright almost sealed it with a header from Gallagher's looping ball.

QPR interim head coach Neil Warnock:

"I'm going to enjoy it for however long I've got it - it's better than being sat at home or fishing. Just being around the fans and the club again is fantastic. When I was asked to do it I had no hesitation.

"I don't know whether it's going to be one game, two games or whatever, but I'm going to enjoy it and if I can I'm going to try to help them pick.

"I hope they ask me. They surely will ask my opinion. I think you need someone who knows the Championship. It's the toughest league in Europe.

"Goalscoring is a bit of a problem at the minute, but we've got two weeks during the international break to try to sort that out."

Preston North End manager Simon Grayson:

"It was great to come to a place like here and get a point and also because of the significance of the game to them, with it being Neil Warnock's first game.

"We know we can utilise the ball a bit better but sometimes you have to do what you need to do in order to get a result.

"As the game went on we frustrated them and it looked like we were the team that might go on and get a winner. In many ways we can count ourselves a bit unlucky.

"We're happy with what we achieved today and will go into the international break with some confidence. But it's how you come back after the break that really counts. We want to pick it up again when we come back."