QPR faced the biggest test of pre season so far when Dutch Champions Ajax visited Lofus Road for one of the more glamorous games in our build up to the new season.

A crowd over almost 10,000 turned out to watch the game which was always going to be a difficult one for the home side. Holloway decided to go with a strong line up for the first half but had promised to make plenty of changes in the second half.

Chris Day started in goal hoping to show that we don't need Lee Camp. The back four was a strong one with Bignot, Rose, Gnohere and Padula making it virtually a first choice defence. Rowlands, Bean, Johnson and Mcleod started in midfield with Furlong and Thorpe up front.

As expected Ajax started the game by keeping the ball and playing some sublime passing football whilst Rangers worked hard closing the opposition down and trying to make some openings.

Rangers had the best of the early chances. A good run and cross by McLeod saw Furlong go close with a header. Thorpe then got in behind the Ajax defence and set up Furlong but the Ajax defence recovered to deny the veteran forward.

Ajax were looking the better side but the game was much closer than many expected. Ajax had left out all of the Euro 2004 stars on their books but they did have Brazilian star Maxwell who was looking a different class to anything QPR had to offer.

Chris Day was called into action as giant striker Anastasiou forced Day into a good save. Maxwell was running rings around the Rangers defence but Arthur Gnohere managed to clear the Brazilians cut back when a goal looked ominously close. Rangers ended the half happy to still be level although we had created chances to get ahead which must have pleased Ian Holloway. Ollie will also have been pleased by Marcus Bean who was not looking out of place against some top quality midfield players.

Half time saw the usual number of changes for Rangers as Holloway looked to experiment. Thorpe, Rowlands, McLeod and Gnohere made way for Gallen, Cureton, Hjelde and a new trialist, Serge Branco. Branco is on trial after being released by Stuttgart where he played 23 times last season. he is also an Olympic Gold Medal winner from the Sydney games in 2000.

Rangers switched to a 4-5-1 with Furlong on his own up front and a midfield five of Gallen, Bean, Johnson, Branco and Curetron. Rangers were proving hard to break down but we didn't create enough chances going forward. Ajax were pretty comfortable knocking the ball around superbly.

We did get the chance to take the lead though when the impressive Cureton curled a shot towards goal but it was tipped over the bar. Ajax immediately broke away and scored the only goal of the game. Maxwell was again involved and set up De Mul to cross for substitute Rasmus Lindgren to head home at the far post.

Holloway made a few more changes before the re start. Johnson and Furlong went off with trialist Lewis Hamilton and youngster Wes Daly coming on.

Rangers hit back straight away and almost got level. Cureton helped supply Gallen who fired in a shot from 25 yards but was denied by a top class save.

It could have been 2-0 soon after as Ajax looked to kill the game off. Lindgren turned provider this time crossing for Anastasiou whose header beat Day but somehow managed to hit both posts before being cleared by Rangers.

That was the last of the chances as Ajax played keep ball to finish the game off and Rangers chased shadows for the rest of the game. Jack Perry came on for his first taste of first team action at Loftus Road with Marcus Bean coming off. Terrell Forbes also made his first appearance at Loftus Road since his arrest in March and was booed by some idiots in the crowd who haven't heard of the notion innocent until proven guilty.

Chris Day made a great save to keep the score down to 1-0 and he looked very comfortable in the QPR goal where he will hope to stay as the first choice keeper.

Rangers tried to push for an equaliser but it never looked like coming so a 1-0 win for Ajax gave Rangers a first defeat of pre season. Ajax were a class apart as you would expect but Rangers can take some positives from the game. Several of our players can learn a thing or two from them about keeping the ball whilst Bean, Furlong, Rose and Cureton will be very pleased with their own performances against top class players.

Trialists Hamilton and Branco will probably be worth another look whilst Hjelde again showed he is well worth a one year contract and is likely to figure again for Rangers at Bristol Rovers next week.

So just two more games now before the start of the season and Ian Holloway's men will be satisfied with how things have gone so far but will need to step up a gear in the coming weeks to be ready for the new season.