Tony Fernandes blew out his cheeks and clasped the hand of his chief executive Philip Beard up in the directors’ box. It had been that kind of night, tense and tetchy.

By the end of it, both QPR and Wigan were still in contention for a place in the Championship play-off final.

Sometimes the magnitude of what is at stake, the suffocating fear of failure, can weigh heavily and that was certainly reflected in the way this first leg played out and Fernandes’ relieved expression at the end.

The QPR owner knows what is at stake here and he will have to go through it all again at Loftus Road on Monday.

‘You wouldn’t like to pick a winner, I’ll be honest with you,’ admitted QPR manager Harry Redknapp.

‘We’re bang in the game but you couldn’t call it.

‘I’m sure Monday will be a very tight game as well. They’re important games in players’ careers. A final at Wembley and a place in the Premier League. If they’re not going to be committed now they never are.’

Committed was an understatement at times. Richard Dunne was first into Mike Jones’ book for taking out Callum McManaman, who was then booked simultaneously with team-mate James McArthur.

Gary Caldwell became the third Wigan player to be shown a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident with Junior Hoilett, and QPR defender Clint Hill will be waiting anxiously to see if there are any repercussions from an apparent elbow on Rob Kiernan in the first half.

Redknapp claimed he had gone against the advice of his backroom staff to pick an attacking team but Rosler was not quite so sure.

‘They came here for a draw and they got it but the pressure is on them now,’ said the Wigan boss.

‘Now they have to come out a little more at home. We’re on track. We controlled the game and we had two or three big chances, but against top teams you have to take them.’

Rosler was referring to opportunities either side of half-time for Jordi Gomez and Marc-Antoine Fortune. Gomez chested a long ball forward from Caldwell away from Danny Simpson and brought a fine save from Robert Green, while Fortune was left holding his head after firing over from close range when Kiernan’s driven pass through a crowded penalty box had found him unmarked yards from goal.

QPR had their moments too, however, with Traore twice going close. Something will have to give on Monday.

—Daily Mail