QPR vs Bristol City - Additional Match Reports

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Photos from the Game - QPR Official Site Photos

Daily Mirror - RANGERS SURVIVE BEN BLOW

John Gregory's thoughts were with appendicitis victim Ben Sahar after a gutsy effort from his Rangers team.
The exciting 17-year-old Israeli striker had been looking forward to his Championship debut on loan from Chelsea after notching two goals in a pre-season game against Fulham. Instead, while his new team-mates were twice coming from behind at Ashton Gate, Sahar was preparing to go under the knife at a Bristol hospital.
"We will be without Ben for four or five weeks, which is a blow, but our first consideration is his health," said Gregory after the game.
"He was very ill this morning and is having surgery as I speak."
The Rangers boss was happy enough with a draw after seeing Scott Murray put newly-promoted City 2-1 up with a brilliant 25-yard chip as injury time approached.
For the second time the visitors equalised within a minute, encouraging their manager to insist: "This group of players don't know when they are beaten."
Defender Damien Stewart headed the lastgasp leveller after Dexter Blackstock had cancelled out Lee Johnson's 33rdminute strike before the cheering had died down.
It all left City boss Gary Johnson gutted.
"I have to stand by my lads and accept that everyone makes mistakes," he said.
"To give away a lead once within seconds is bad enough, but to do it twice is hugely frustrating. We were so close to returning to the Championship with a win, but couldn't defend a free-kick during injury time."
Johnson will be recalling goalkeeper Chris Weale from his loan spell at Hereford today after seeing Adriano Basso suffer a rib injury when failing to prevent Blackstock heading the first equaliser. Mirror

DAILY TELEGRAPH - Lee Johnson upbeat after late Bristol City lapse
By Jed Pitman - Bristol City (1) 2 Queens Park Rangers (1) 2

Rather like the mass ascent at the weekend's International Balloon Fiesta across the road from Ashton Gate, football in Bristol is finally on the up.
The 18,228 crowd who witnessed an extraordinary finish to an entertaining encounter in glorious sunshine was City's biggest opening-day attendance for nearly three decades.
It looked like being a happy ending for the home faithful when long-serving midfielder Scott Murray came off the bench to replace £1 million new-boy Lee Trundle and scored one of the goals of his career, collecting the ball with his back to goal before turning and chipping Lee Camp from 25 yards.
Ninety-two minutes were on the clock but City simply could not hold on to their advantage as the crowd were still celebrating. Seconds after Murray's moment of magic, and possibly still basking in the glow of impending glory, the home defence let Jamaica international defender Damion Stewart head in unmarked.
It was all too similar to the 60 seconds in the first half when Lee Johnson's opener for City was cancelled out by Dexter Blackstock, who burst into the box to meet John Curtis' speculative ball.
Gary Johnson, the Bristol City manager, refused to blame a lack of concentration by his players. "I am a Championship manager but you mustn't treat it like the 'championship manager' computer game," he said. "Sometimes you're lucky and sometimes you are unlucky. They had their chances, we had ours. It could have been 4-4."
City, who have loaned out their first-choice reserve goalkeeper Chris Weale to Hereford, lost their No 1, Adriano Basso, through injury, at half-time. His replacement, 19-year-old Stephen Henderson, nearly started his professional career by picking the ball out of the net but Martin Rowlands' 20-yard shot struck the inside of the post.
The same player was brilliantly denied by Henderson as time was running out, the rookie goalkeeper touching his effort on to the underside of the bar.
"Had it not been for Henderson we would have won by two or three clear goals and Rowlands should have gone home with the match ball," was the assessment of the QPR manager John Gregory.
"My players have got a lot of energy, a lot of courage and a lot of desire to really want to do well this year and this was a good start...." Telegraph

MAIL - Rangers salvage a point as Stewart has final say - NICK PARKINSON -
Scott Murray was left wondering whether his goal celebration cost Bristol City victory in their first game back in the second flight since 1999.
The Scotsman had only been on the field 11 minutes when his last-gasp long-range lob looked to have sealed three points for City in stunning style.

But for the second time in the match, QPR's response was almost immediate and Damien Stewart's close range header deservedly secured them a share of the points.

It was a knock-out blow for City, but Murray is hopeful for the season ahead after the West Country side's first effort in the Championship.

He said: "I hope the lads were not too tired after chasing me in my celebration and it led to us conceding a second so quickly afterwards.

"I just ran because I didn't know what else to do and they all ran after me. It has to be one of the best goals I have scored, what with it being our first game back in this division for so long.
"When I scored I thought the three points were in the bag for us, but a couple of moments later I went from feeling ecstatic to being devastated.

"It feels like we have lost. If you concede so late like we did, it feels like a defeat. But at least we gave a good account of ourselves and got something out of the game." City were denied the three points when the outstanding Martin Rowlands sent over a free-kick which was headed back into the six yard box by Marc Nygaard for centre-back Stewart to finish in injury time.

Earlier, Rangers had managed another swift response when Dexter Blackstock beat City goalkeeper Adrianno Basso to a bouncing ball on 34 minutes, moments after Lee Johnson had fired the hosts ahead from a tight angle.
City boss Gary Johnson - father of Lee - sees no need to make changes after his side twice surrendered the lead and was proud of his players' first effort in the Championship.

He said: "I'm a Championship manager now but it's not the same as Championship manager the computer game.

"In the computer game you can get rid of people and buy someone else, but that's not reality. You have to blood the players and keep their confidence up.

"We're disappointed to give away two goals so quickly after ours but I've tried to pick them up because I thought they did enough, worked hard and for a first effort it was good."
QPR manager John Gregory refused to expand on the talks of a takeover by Flavio Briatore, the Italian millionaire who is principal of the Formula One racing team Renault.
Gregory was without six players and must now cope without Ben Sahar - on loan from Chelsea - for at least a month after the young striker needed an appendix operation on Saturday night.
He said: "Ben felt really ill on the morning of the game and was taken to a Bristol hospital where they decided to operate immediately. He had to stay over-night, so he won't be available to us for four or five weeks.
"We showed a lot of character, energy and desire. The takeover talk is speculation and it was no distraction to us."
Johnson may recall goalkeeper Chris Weale from a loan spell at Hereford after Basso was injured during Blackstock's opening goal. Mail

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - JOHN GREGORY ON MARTIN ROWLANDS -THE NEW ROWLY!
John Gregory believes Rangers fans are about to see 'the new Martin Rowlands' emerge.
Speaking after the R's 2-2 draw against Bristol City on Saturday, the Hoops gaffer heaped praise on the midfield ace.
"Rowly was fantastic - first class," Gregory told www.qpr.co.uk.
"His overall contribution was simply unbelievable and we saw the birth of the new Martin Rowlands out there.
"On another day Martin would have taken home the match-ball.
"He was the pick of the bunch, although each and every player gave their all." QPR

Bristol City Official Site - BRISTOL CITY'S SCOTT MURRAY
IT FELT LIKE A DEFEAT - SCOTT
Scott Murray admitted the opening day draw with QPR felt like a defeat.
The winger thought he had given City a dream start in the Championship with a stoppage time goal to make it 2-1 to the home side yesterday.
But just like they had done in the first half, within a minute QPR equalised for a deserved share of the spoils.
"When I scored I thought the points were in the bag," Scott told Bristol City World after the game.
"A couple of minutes later I was devastated. If you concede a goal with the last kick of the ball then it feels like a defeat.
"That was the emotion in our dressing room, I'm sure it felt like a win for QPR in their dressing room.
"The main thing is we didn't embarrass ourselves and we competed well, it's just disappointing to come away with only a point."
Scott's 30-yard curler was described by the winger as one of his bests.
"Louis says he tried to play me in, but I took a touch and I'd be lying if I said I saw the keeper off his line," said the Scotsman.
"It was one of those that you just knew was going in as soon as it left the boot.
"It's right up there with one of my best goals, especially given it came on the opening day of the season in front of a sell-out crowd." Bristol City