I was unable to get to the game yesterday so here is a match report from the official QPR site and one from qprnet.com

From qpr.co.uk

Two goals from Richard Pacquette helped earn Rangers a comfortable 3-0 victory in a pre-season friendly at Dagenham & Redbridge this afternoon.

The Rs frontman struck in the 10th minute of each half, with Paul Furlong wrapping things up with a goal in the 78th minute.

Rangers put in a solid display seven days ahead of the big kick-off, improving as the game went on and creating a number of chances which could easily have added to the final tally.

Pacquette's first came courtesy of a delightful through ball from Richard Langley who picked out Pacquette's run in to the area for the front man to slot home.

Rangers now looked comfortable but were nearly caught out 10 minutes later when an offside-looking Mark Stein burst in to the area and bore down on goal. Only a magnificent double save from Nick Culkin in the Rangers goal prevented the home side from drawing level.

Rangers went back on the attack and Eric Sabin's pace up front caught the eye. Unfortunately he could not find the finish to match some appealing approach play.

At half time Rangers made two changes, heralding the introduction of trialists John Bailey and Christopher Kanu. Both slotted in well and showed a few nice touches, before Pacquette doubled Rangers' lead.

This time he fired home a volley from the edge of the area to make it 2-0 to the visitors. A minute later Bailey burst in to the box in eye-catching fashion but couldn't keep his shot down.

from qprnet.com
Dead Eye Dick Staggers Daggers
By Simon Skinner

The starting eleven had a makeshift look about it and I wouldn't think this will even be close to them team that kicks off against Blackpool. Nevertheless, the guys that might be expected to make way will certainly have done their chances of getting into Olly's plans no harm at all.

The opening ten minutes of the game saw an end-to-end pattern emerging. Rangers were trying to get the ball wide to Oli on the right and Rowlands on the left whenever possible. When it broke down The Daggers looked for the flicks off Braithwaite toward former R's striker Mark Stein. The diminutive front man was caught offside about 5 times in the opening exchanges when a player with his experience really should know better.

Richard Pacquette notched his first pre-season goal with a cool finish after just ten minutes. Richard Langley, playing in his preferred centre midfield role, picked out Pacquette with a perfectly weighted ball. The burly striker held off a challenge before coolly slotting the ball past James Pullen. It was refreshing to see him take his time rather than giving it the obligatory lash and an equally cool head during the season may bring its rewards for both player and team.

At the other end Nick Culkin was called into action to thwart Stein with a stunning double save. After finally beating the offside trap he smashed two fierce efforts that the often-maligned R's stopper responded to brilliantly.

Rangers could have been home and hosed by the break had some better finishing been displayed by Langley and Sabin. Langers had a couple of efforts from distance easily saved whilst Sabin missed a gilt edged one on one chance. Rather than acting as Pacquette had done earlier in the game and firing across goal, he tried to nuts the keeper with the outside of his right foot, with sadly predictable results.

The break saw the withdrawal of Langley and Forbes and the introduction of trial players John Bailey from Preston North End and Christopher Kanu, younger brother of the unfortunately named Nwankwo. In order to accommodate Bailey, Martin Rowlands moved to centre midfield and began to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

The second goal came courtesy of another superb finish from Pacquette. Reminiscent of his strike at Home Park, Plymouth last season, he allowed a ball into the box to bounce in front of him before striking a volley across Pullen into the far corner. By now his confidence was riding high and he clearly relished the role of senior striker. This was showed at no better time than after Sabin had pulled an effort wide and lay on his back feeling sorry for himself. He soon found Pacquette hollering at him to get up and get back involved, it was nice to see that his often laid back attitude is changing into a more purposeful one.

Trialist Kanu was starting to link up well with Dennis Oli on the right and both of them looked to surge forward whenever they could. Oli tricked his way into the box and fired wide and later dragged another effort past the post as he continued to search for that elusive goal.

The challenges were starting to fly in now. Clarke Carlisle clobbered a couple of Daggers' strikers and was unsurprisingly taken off by Kenny Jackett before he got in further bother. Pacquette also went in for a challenge with keeper Pullen that made the Dagenham man unleash a scream that Penelope Pitstop would have been proud of. Had he actually hit him hard I shudder to think what sort of outburst we would have been treated to. As it turned out he clipped his arm as he arrived a nanosecond after the keeper grabbed the ball, Pullen showed no ill effects as he continued to deny the Rangers attack time and again.

Gallen and Furlong had now replaced Sabin and Pacquette and both of them could have walked away with two or three to their name. Gallen in particular missed four good chances, the last of which saw Pullen deny him with a great touch to turn the ball onto the post. Furs had already missed one chance when he grabbed the final goal of the afternoon.

Latching onto an excellent through ball from Bean he bore down on goal before lifting the ball over the diving keeper. It was a great finish to a deserved victory and one that will no doubt boost confidence ahead of the big kick off next week.

I was impressed with Ifura who seemed to link well with Carlisle to snuff out any danger through the middle. Steve Palmer turned in a solid performance at left back and looked much more at home in a defensive rather than midfield position. Marcus Bean and Martin Rowlands were both excellent. Rowlands really came into his own in the second half after moving into the middle and will have surely secured his place in the starting eleven.

Up front Pacquette was a constant threat and Sabin, whilst better than when he has been stuck on the left side, was again disappointing. I can't see him getting a start ahead of Gallen, Furlong or Pacquette at the moment. Of the trialists, I thought they both slotted in very well. Kanu looks like a real handful going forward although I would like to see him tested more going the other way before we take a chance on him. Paul Bruce barely tested his defensive mettle, not that anybody expected him to. Bailey looks like he could be a real handful going the other way and I think we should snap him up while we can.

simon@qpr.uk.co