Never-say-die QPR staged a spirited second-half comeback to secure a point in a battle of the play-off hopefuls against Stockport at Loftus Road, but the game ended amid controversy.

With just a minute to go Stockport looked to have grabbed a winner when James Gannon headed in but referee Keith Hill ruled the goal out and booked the defender. The reason for his decision remained a mystery.

County's first-half goal looked to have been enough to secure all three points as their blanket defence soaked up the pressure, but with 12 minutes to go Rangers grabbed an unlikely equaliser.

Stuart Wardley won the ball in mid-field and set off on a darting run. He nutmegged one defender, beat another and crossed perfectly for Chris Kiwomya who nodded past Ian Gray into the corner.

The first half had belonged to smooth-passing Stockport who almost scored on nine minutes.

Rob Matthews was played clean through but seemed to control with his hand as he rounded QPR keeper Lee Harper. Fortunately for Rangers he ran the ball too far to get in a shot.

However on 17 minutes they took a deserved lead. Full-back Sean Connelly threaded a superb ball into the path of Tony Dinning's run and when he squared it to the far post Matthews had the simplest of tasks to tap in from barely a yard out.

County could have added to that lead in the first half as both Tom Bennett and Matthews sent long-range efforts whistling over while Rangers could hardly muster a chance.

Their best effort came on 21 minutes when Richard Langley's corner picked out Kiwomya but the striker somehow headed back across goal from underneath the crossbar.

Manager Gerry Francis threw on-loan signing Mikkel Beck for the second half and later striker Kevin Gallen but neither made much impression as Stockport packed their defence.

Langley forced a good save from Gray on 56 minutes while Ian Baraclough's super run and shot was blocked by Mike Flynn.

At the other end County almost made it 2-0 on the break. Gray's huge kick was allowed to bounce by the QPR defence and Kent Bergersen found himself clean through only to shoot hopelessly wide.

After Kiwomya's equaliser Rangers looked the more likely winners as first Beck headed inches wide from Jermaine Darlington's cross then Karl Ready volleyed wide when he should have hit the target while they had a penalty appeal turned down after Shane Nicholson's trip on Kiwomya.

Then came the Stockport disallowed goal and the County players were still arguing when the referee blew the final whistle three minutes later.

Teams:

QPR: Harper, Darlington, Ward (Beck 46), Rose, Ready, Baraclough, Peacock, Langley (Rowland 72), Wardley,

Slade (Gallen 72), Kiwomya.

Subs Not Used: Miklosko, Murray.

Goals: Kiwomya 78.

Stockport: Gray, Connelly, Gannon, Flynn, Nicholson, Cooper, Dinning, Bergersen (Woodthorpe 86), Bennett, Matthews, Wilbraham (Allen 76).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Hancock, Glennon.

Booked: Dinning, Nicholson, Gannon, Cooper.

Goals: Matthews 17.

Att: 10,531

Ref: K Hill (Royston).