Queens Park Rangers manager Steve McClaren is just happy to still be in the hat after his side came from behind to force an FA Cup replay with Portsmouth. 

Nakhi Wells’ strike 15 minutes from time rescued the R’s who had trailed when Joel Lynch turned Lee Brown’s cross into his own net on 63 minutes.

It means Rangers face the prospect of a replay at Loftus Road against the League One high-flyers and McClaren insists he is content with being in the hat for the next round.

“This was always going to be a tough tie for us,” McClaren told the official QPR website.  

“Portsmouth were top of the division and they are a very good team. We saw that especially in the first 20 minutes of the second half.

“They got the goal but we showed great character to come back. We could have won it in the end.

“A draw was most definitely a fair result though, we said before the game that this would be tough. We needed to fight and show character, we showed that and we made sure that we are at least in the hat.”

The west Londoners had the better of the first half in front of a bumper crowd of 19,378, with a Lynch header coming closest to breaking the deadlock at Fratton Park.

But they suffered a set-back on the hour mark when an improved Portsmouth side snatched the lead, with the unfortunate Lynch diverting Brown’s cross past Joe Lumley.

However, Wells rescued Rangers after burying his seventh goal of the campaign from a scramble in the box to set up an intriguing replay.

McClaren was also quick to downplay the 22-man melee that followed a Ronan Curtis challenge on Josh Scowen and believes his side can look forward to the draw in earnest.

Rangers, who are ball number 14, avoided the same fate that befell fellow Championship side Norwich City, who were dumped out of the competition by Pompey in round three.

“It’s a tough replay but it should be a cracking game at Loftus Road,” McClaren added.

“It’s the FA Cup and you are playing at Portsmouth and you have to stand-up. We’ve not been known for our fight in this competition for a long time. We needed to make sure we got a result of some sort today.

“I’m still happy to be in the cup, they beat Norwich last time and they will be in the Championship next season. It won’t be easy at Loftus Road.”