Centre half Matt Connolly left the field on a stretcher and Iain Dowie lost his first match as QPR boss as the R’s were comfortably beaten by Falkirk on Saturday afternoon.

Rangers fans got another chance to have a look at summer signing Emmanuel Ledesma from the start but none of the other new summer recruits started the match and Peter Ramage was again left on the bench with Connolly preferred at full back. Mikele Leigertwood and Radek Cerny are both still to feature this summer because of injuries.

Rangers had the first effort on goal when Ledesma fired high and wide after being played in by Blackstock but Falkirk took the lead after a quarter of an hour when John Stewart’s low cross was turned into his own net by Jamaican international Damion Stewart at the new post. Falkirk’s Stewart did get his name on the score sheet within ninety seconds though as he volleyed home a McCann corner.

Damien Delaney and Emmanuel Ledesma were both off target with close range efforts before Hogan Ephraim forced the first save of the match from Robert Olejnik just before the break with a cross shot that almost caught the keeper out.

Matteo Alberti replaced Ephraim at half time and Patrick Agyemang had a shot well blocked but the day got worse for Dowie when Connolly left the field on a stretcher with a nasty looking ankle injury. Peter Ramage replaced the former Arsenal man but his absence for any length of time would be a massive blow to Rangers as he’s been one of the form players so far this summer.

Stewart went close for Falkirk and Blackstock for QPR but a series of substitutions saw the game peter out in the closing stages and Rangers are now left with just two more matches before the big kick off with Barnsley in a fortnight.

Afterwards Iain Dowie said there were positives to take from the game and Matt Connolly's injury may not be as serious as first thought.

Dowie told the official website: "They started a lot better than we did and I was disappointed with both of their goals from our point of view but we had a good chat at half time and I thought we were much better in the second half.

"Unfortunately we had problems with the radios we were using and I was unable to get my message across from where I was sitting up in the stand. I wanted us to push up more and be more offensive.

"Matt has rolled his ankle but it doesn't look too serious thankfully. At his stage there certainly doesn't seem to be any suggestion of a break but we will need to wait for the results of a scan before we know for sure."

Falkirk Olejnik, McNamara, Barr, Bullen, Aafjes, Cregg (McBride), Arfield (Murdoch), McCann, Barrett (Moffat), Stewart (Latapy), Higdon
Subs Not Used Barclay, McCaffrey, Robertson, Staunton
Goals Stewart og 15, Stewart 17

QPR Camp, Connolly (Ramage), Hall, Stewart, Delaney, Ledesma (Ainsworth), Rowlands (Bolder), Mahon, Ephraim (Alberti), Agyemang (Balanta), Blackstock
Subs Not Used Crowther, Walton, Rehman, Rose

Attendance 1308

Discuss this story on the Message Board

Click here and be the first user to comment on this story

Photo: Action Images

Queens Park Rangers Polls