Snippets: Closed Door West Ham Friendly Ends in Draw....Questions Sought re Dennis Sigby...Ex-QPR's Gary Waddock on Aldershot Aims...Bosnich Job

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UPDATED: 7:30 PM -

QPR played a closed door Game at West Ham today, drawing 2-2 after being 0-2 down.

West Ham Official Site - Collins and Quashie play
Kevin Keen was pleased to see James Collins and Nigel Quashie get back to action on Tuesday

James Collins and Nigel Quashie both came through 45 minutes of a practice match against Queens Park Rangers behind closed doors at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday afternoon.

The game, which finished 2-2 after two Luis Boa Morte strikes, was arranged to help the pair on their way back to fitness. Collins, who captained the side and showed his appetite for the game with some solid tackles, has not played since a knee ligament injury back on reserve-team duty in January while Quashie, who has had a persistent foot injury, last featured for the reserves back in November.

Reserve-team manager Kevin Keen was delighted to see both players take the next step on the comeback trail as they work their way back towards Alan Curbishley's first-team plans in a game that also featured former Hammers midfielder Hogan Ephraim and several second-half changes. "If you think about it neither of them have played a full match for quite some considerable time," he said. "That was their first 45 minutes and they have both come through it OK."

Boa Morte caught the eye with the opening two goals on 19 and 21 minutes, despite playing out on the left wing. The first saw him receive the ball eight yards out and he made no mistake with a neat finish in the corner. The second goal came about after a strong run by Zavon Hines led to Bowyer picking up possession in central midfield and feeding Boa Morte. The Portuguese forward's first shot hit the keeper but he kept his composure to slot in the rebound despite defenders scrambling to get in a block.

Keen added: "I thought Lee and Luis were the best two players on the pitch by a distance. They were both very good and their attitude and fitness was good. Bow created a lot of things, Luis scored two so it was a good run-out for us. We got what we wanted out of it." QPR pulled one back through Ephraim just before half-time with a strong finish before a late Matteo Alberti penalty - that Jan Lastuvka on his first appearance at the stadium could do nothing about - ensured a draw. West Ham


Official Site Match Report - WEST HAM 2, QPR 2
QPR came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against West Ham at Upton Park this afternoon in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
Hogan Ephraim halved the deficit just before the break against his former Club and Matteo Alberti completed the comeback in the second half, slotting home from the penalty spot after Christian Nanetti had been felled in the area.
The afternoon fixture saw Martin Rowlands play 65 minutes for the R's, gaining valuable match practice after missing the opening thee games of the new season through suspension.
Meanwhile Ephraim showed no sign of the shin splints problem which has kept him sidelined so far this campaign, as he played 75 minutes before being replaced.
First Team Coach Iain Dowie told www.qpr.co.uk afterwards: "It was more than just a run out for the likes of Rowlands, Ephraim, Damion Stewart, Adam Bolder, Alberti and Samuel Di Carmine.
"They were up against some excellent opposition. West Ham had Lee Bowyer, Nigel Quashie and Luis Boa Morte all in their side, so it was a good test for our lads.
"It was good to see them in action and obviously the likes of Rowly and Hogan are now in my thoughts ahead of Saturday's game against Doncaster.
"I must say I was also impressed by Romone Rose, who played up front for us, and young Femy Ilesanmi, who was at left back. They both did very well and should be pleased with themselves."
QPR Squad: Crowther, Oastler, Stewart, Harris, Femy, Alberti, Rowlands, Bolder, Di Carmine, Ephraim, Rose, Bulmer, Flood, Arthur, Maguire, Nanetti, Ford. QPR


UPDATED 3pm West Ham Fan Site: - Knees Up Mother Brown Site
" West Ham will face Queens Park Rangers in a specially-arranged friendly this afternoon.
With no league fixture until next Sunday, Alan Curbishley has arranged the match in order to check on the fitness of one or two players returning from injury - most notably James Collins and Nigel Quashie, who has been out of action for over 17 months with a mystery foot injury (bar one brief comeback earlier this year).
Collins - who career in East London has been chequered by injury - tore cruciate ligaments during a reserves match against Portsmouth back in January and has barely kicked a ball since. Talking about his injury at the time he revealed his frustration when he said:
"I keep getting niggly injuries that have constantly kept me out for weeks at a time. I just can't get myself into a run of games."
However one player definitely not featuring is Anton Ferdinand who, despite declaring himself fit at the tail-end of last week, was pulled out of the squad that faced Wigan on Saturday. He was the subject of an £8million bid by Sunderland at the weekend which was accepted by United.
However latest rumours suggest that Tottenham are considering a bid to scupper the Sunderland deal, whilst Ferdinand is already thought to have rejected one move to the North East - Newcastle - this summer - KUMB


QPR Official Site - R'S FACE HAMMERS
A strong QPR team takes on West Ham this afternoon in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Upton Park.
R's First Team Coach Iain Dowie is using the opportunity to give a number of his players some valuable match time ahead of Saturday's Championship encounter with Doncaster Rovers.
Martin Rowlands - who was forced to miss the opening three matches of the season due to suspension - is expected to be involved this weekend, and will be starting this afternoon in East London.
Fellow midfielder Hogan Ephraim hasn't played yet this season owing to shin splints, but he too is raring to go and is expected to start against the Hammers.
Damion Stewart, Adam Bolder, Matteo Alberti and Samuel Di Carmine are also expected to feature in the match, which kicks off at 2.00pm.
QPR Squad: Crowther, Oastler, Stewart, Harris, Femy, Alberti, Rowlands, Bolder, Di Carmine, Ephraim, Rose, Bulmer, Flood, Arthur, Maguire, Nanetti, Ford. QPR


Vital Football/QPR which recently had a two part Q&A with Dennis Signy is now seeking readers questions to ask Signy. - (See Part I and Part II)

Vital Football/QPR - Ask Dennis Signy
Dennis Signy OBE has agreed to take your questions regarding the history of Queens Park Rangers F.C.
As a former employee of Queens Park Rangers and a prominent member of the national media, Dennis covered the R`s and Brentford on alternate weeks for the national press, but his close links with Rangers came when Alec Stock was appointed manager in 1960.
Dennis also handled the press and PR side of Queens Park Rangers during Jim Gregory`s tenure as chairman whilst also attaining the role of Chief Executive at Loftus Road for a brief period.
Dennis was the author of A History Of Queens Park Rangers FC published in 1969, which is quite unique to the extent that by the time the book was published it was already three managers out of date, owing to the departure of Alec Stock, his assistant Bill Dodgin and the very brief reign of Tommy Docherty.
To take advantage of this exciting opportunity to gain an insight into QPR, get your questions to us via the forum, and we at Vital QPR will publish all answers given in an article at a later date.
If you could state your full name, and the QPR website you hail from.
To read either of Dennis' previous contributions to Vital QPR click on either, The Alec Stock Era or The Brentford Take-Over Saga. Vital Football/QPR


Gary Waddock talking to PFA's Give Me Football about his Aldershot Ambitions - Waddock Interview "Waddock Aims His Shots High"


- Mark Bosnich who spent much of large season training with QPR (playing one reserve game) has signed a short contract with Central Coast Mariners in Australia.- Report