Team Line Up
		1. Lee Camp
29. Zesh Rehmann		6. Michael Mancienne	25. Damion Stewart		21. John Curtis
18. Stefan Moore		23. Stefan Bailey	7. Adam Bolder		14. Martin Rowlands
		8. Daniel Nardiello	9. Dexter Blackstock
Subs
Hogan Ephraim on for Daniel Nardiello
Marc Nygaard on for Dexter Blackstock
Subs Not Used
Jake Cole
Marcus Bignot
Danny Cullip

After a long summer break the football season is back and QPR kicked it off yesterday against newly promoted Bristol City.

All the talk before the game was off a possible takeover at Loftus Road by Renault Formula One team boss Flavio Briatore which would see Rangers get rid of the ABC loan and have money available for new players. All sounds very exciting but quite how true it all is remains to be seen.

John Gregory had a selection headache going into the game as he was without several key players. New Signing Chris barker is suspended for the first three games of the season whilst Sampsa Timoska was also serving a ban for a red card he recovered on the final day of last season. Injuries also ruled out several players with Ainsworth, Kanyuka, Ray Jones and Simon Walton all missing and to add to Gregory's problems Ben Sahar fell ill on Friday with what turned out to be an appendix problem which required an operation and will see him sit out the first 5 weeks of the season.

So it was a case of who was left with Marcus Bignot and Danny Cullip also not fully fit but taking their place on the bench. We started with Lee Camp in goal making his first league appearance since making his loan move permanent. The back four saw Zesh Rehmann start at right back with new signing John Curtis at left back and Damion Stewart partnered Michael Mancienne at the heart of defence. In midfield Stefan Moore started on the right with Martin Rowlands filling the gap left by Lee Cook on the left wing. Club Captain Adam Bolder was joined by youngster Stefan Bailey in midfield whilst Daniel Nardiello made his debut alongside Dexter Blackstock. New loan signing Hogan Ephraim was on the bench just 24 hours after signing from West Ham.

With 2,000 ravelling fans roaring Rangers on the season got underway in what would turn out to be a very exciting start to the season. As expected the home side came out of the traps flying and went right at the QPR defence and almost scored in the first minute when Mancienne's sliced clearance forced Camp into an early save.

The attacks continued as Rangers were on the back foot as Curtis struggled to keep up with his man and the cross into the box was headed straight at Camp by giant striker Ecoch Showunmi. It was wave after wave of attacks from the home side and new signing Marvin Elliot was next to go close firing in a shot from the edge of the box which was just wide of the post with Camp beaten.

Rangers began to settle and come back into the game as Bolder and Bailey were winning possession and starting to play some football in the oppositions half. Daniel Nardiello had our first effort of the new season turning his man and trying a delicate chip, which dropped just over the bar.

Martin Rowlands went closest to breaking the deadlock with a set piece. He stood over the ball and curled a 30 yard effort towards the top corner which looked a certain goal before the Brazilian Bristol City keeper made a stunning save to turn it over the bar.

Rangers were now on top as Bailey and Bolder began to dominate midfield whilst on the right Rehmann and Moore were combining well and producing some good deliveries into the box, which we failed to convert.

The opening goal though went to the home side and it's one that Lee Camp will want to forget. Bristol City broke through the middle and a pass to the right found Lee Johnson in space who hit a shot from 25 yards out, Camp looked to have it covered but didn't his palm away was weak and appeared to fly through his hands and roll into the back pf the net. Camp looked angry with himself as the home side celebrated a first goal in the Championship.

Rangers are made of strong stuff nowadays though and hit back within 90 seconds. Adam bolder got the ball in his own half and played a highball over the top for Blackstock to run on to. The QPR number nine timed his rum well and went into a tough 50/50 with the goalkeeper but got their first to lift the ball into the back of the net and open his account for the season. As Blackstock celebrated the home fans complained as their keeper lay injured on the floor but the ball was there to be won and Blackstock clearly won it to score the goal so not sure why they were moaning.

Rangers almost grabbed the lead soon after when Rehmann got forward and whipped in a brilliant cross which Blackstock was inches away from getting on the end of at the far post.

Just before half time Nardiello was booked for arguing over a penalty appeal, he was the second QPR player to go in the book after Rowlands had earlier been cautioned for arguing with the officials.

At half time Rangers would have been happy with how it had gone so far especially with so many players missing. Bristol City were forced to change goalkeepers a the break after Basso struggled to recover from his clash with Blackstock.

Bristol City came out for the second half quickly again and almost took the lead for the second time when million pound man Lee trundle did well and beat Camp with his shot but Stewart was on and to clear the danger.

After that though the game quickly turned into the Martin Rowlands show as the Rangers midfielder produced a superb performance, which should have earned him a hat trick.

Playing on the left he was cutting inside onto his right foot and causing problems for the City defence. His first chance of the half came as he dribbled the ball from the left inside along the edge of the box before smashing a shot past the keeper but it came back off the post and away to safety.

John Gregory decided to make a change at this point as new loan signing Hogan Ephraim was added to the attack in place of Nardiello and the new boy played a part in Rangers going close again as he linked well with Rowlands who curled a shot just wide of the post.

Dexter Blackstock limped off with a thigh problem soon afterwards to bring Marc Nygaard into the game which saw Rangers switch the team around and move Rowlands over to the right where he would have even more joy than he was having on the left.

Rowlands must have wondered what he had to do to score as he again did well out wide strolling past his full back and curling a shot past the keeper but this time the crossbar denied him and it bounced away to safety.

Bristol City were looking shaky at the back and Rangers continued to push for a winner as we won several free kicks and corners and from one of them Rehmann almost scored his first goal for the club but was denied by a good save from substitute keeper Henderson.

Rowlands went close yet again with a lovely run to dribble past three players and get one on one with the keeper but Henderson again did well to get off his line and block Rowlands effort.

With the clock ticking down to ninety minutes it looked like Rangers would have to settle for a point before a goal from nothing turned the game on it's head. Scott Murray came off the bench, which worried me as he does have a good record for scoring against us and as the clock ticked to 90 minutes he scored another one. There was nothing we could do about this though as he won the ball on the edge of the box cut onto his right foot and curled an unstoppable effort over Camp and into the top corner.

The home fans went berserk, as did the players and the dream start for Bristol City had become a reality. Rangers looked stunned after dominating the second half they were going home with nothing. One thing about this QPR side though is they don't give up and we fought back straight away to silence the home fans and get the point that was the least we deserved.

We won a free kick on the right around 30 yards out, Rowlands stood over it and lifted the ball to the far post where Nygaard rose well to head across goal and the unmarked Damion Stewart was on hand to connect with a header and find the back of the net. The away end was now full of joy just seconds after being stunned into silence and Stewart ran straight to the dugout to celebrate with his manager and teammates.

There was still almost time for one more twist as Elliott broke clear and curled a lovely shot towards goal which Camp had to be at his best to keep out but that was the end of the drama and in the end both sides had to be happy with a point.

I think if you'd asked any QPR fan before the game if they'd take a draw they would have but after scoring twice and hitting the woodwork on three occasions it was disappointing not to get all three points. Still to fight back from behind twice as we did shows the character we have and an opening day point is better than none.

Plenty of positives for John Gregory to take as Rowlands looked in outstanding form whilst the performances of Rehmann and Stefan Moore were encouraging. Stefan Bailey and Adam Bolder both impressed as did Michael Mancienne at the back who kept Lee trundle very quiet.

Next up for Rangers is Leyton Orient in the Carling Cup on Tuesday and I expect we'll see a few fringe players get a go in that game before a tough first home league game against Cardiff City next weekend.

Man of the Match: Martin Rowlands