FORMER Shelbourne midfielder Wes Hoolahan missed a penalty for Norwich at Loftus Road on Saturday as QPR saw their lead at the top cut to four points.

Rangers’ manager Neil Warnock had gone into the match having guided his side to wins over Crystal Palace and Doncaster and a draw against Millwall, but the Londoners could have lost all three points had Hoolahan not missed a first-half spot-kick. The Norwich midfielder placed his 12-yard drive wide.

Cardiff increased the pressure on the leaders with a second-half comeback that came courtesy of a Peter Whittingham double in a 3-2 win over Bristol City.

Keith Millen’s side had stormed into a 2-0 lead thank to goals from Steve Caulker and Jon Stead before Jay Bothroyd pulled one back for the home side. Whittingham then bagged his first two goals of the season to cement the Bluebirds position in second.

Elsewhere, the pressure is mounting on Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan after his team suffered a 2-1 defeat to Leeds.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s first game as Leicester manager ended with a 1-1 draw against Hull.

Coventry ripped up the form book at Portman Road where they ran out 2-1 winners against Roy Keane’s high-flying Ipswich.

Clive Platt’s 20th-minute strike put Coventry ahead before Lukas Jutkiewicz’s penalty doubled the visitors’ advantage.

Jason Scotland pulled one back for Ipswich but they could not find an equaliser and drop to sixth.