QPR's Victory Over Colchester 0 & Ray Jones Likely Exit - Further Reports & Gregory Comments

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Update: On the Official Site today "Ray of Light"
Ray Jones tells www.qpr.co.uk that he 'wants to stay' with the R's - despite constant speculation linking him with a move elsewhere.
Speaking after notching the only goal of the game against Colchester United on New Years Day, the 18 year-old hot-shot revealed he's hoping to put pen to paper on a new contract in the foreseeable future.
"I want to stay here and hopefully that will all be sorted in the next few weeks,'' Jones told www.qpr.co.uk.
"I'm playing first team football for QPR and gaining experience all the time. I didn't think I'd be involved this early on in my career, but I think I've adapted quite well to life in the Championship. "Why would I want to sit on the bench at a Premiership club?''
Jones also took time out to reflect on his fifth league goal of the campaign, commenting: "Cooky turned the defender, got his cross in and as the ball took a slight deflection, it allowed me to steal a march on my marker and flick it into the corner of the net.''
*Stay tuned to QPR World today, where John Gregory reveals his thoughts on the future of sought-after pair Ray Jones and Lee Cook. OFFICIAL

The Telegraph - QPR (1) 1 Colchester United (0) 0
There were at least 10 scouts in attendance here and they made no secret of who they were watching. Almost all of them left to beat the traffic after 19-year-old striker Ray Jones was substituted. As yet Fulham are the only club to have a made a bid for Jones but others are sure to follow.
Jones, who has turned down three contract offers from QPR, will have enhanced his chances of getting a move to the Premiership by scoring the winning goal, a great leap and guided header from a Lee Cook cross.
John Gregory is resigned to losing the striker but fears that the player's career is being jeopardised for short-term financial gain. "I think he's being poorly advised," he said. "I don't think he should go to a Premiership club just to sit on their bench for two years and end up disappearing off the face of the earth."
Cook looked like he was going to tear Colchester to pieces with his bursts of dribbling but the visitors' highly-rated right back Greg Halford gradually got to grips with the clever winger, showing why he too has been attracting interest from the top flight. Sheffield United are eager to bring him to Bramall Lane.
Rangers should have made lighter work of this. Despite coming into the game on a run of seven defeats in eight games, they imposed their game on a below-par Colchester and if Dexter Blackstock had converted when clean through early in the second half, Gregory's team would have been spared the belated Colchester rally. Telegraph

Daily Mirror - GREGORY TIPS RAY TO BE ON HIS WAY
QPR 1 Colchester 0 By James Nursey
JOHN GREGORY last night admitted match-winner Ray Jones may have played his last game for QPR.
Liverpool and Fulham have both targeted Jones, 18, who bagged his sixth goal of the season against play-off chasing Colchester.
But Rangers boss Gregory fears the cash-strapped club will be forced to sell the striker who has turned down three new deals and is out of contract in the summer.
"We had a derisory offer from Fulham for Ray which we batted off," revealed Gregory, whose side stay 20th in the Championship despite yesterday's win.
"But I am resigned to losing him this month because if we let him run his contract down in the summer we might not get as much for him at a tribunal. I hope he hasn't played his last game but he might have and that is a shame.
"I think Ray would be much better staying here and developing his career. I don't think he would be better off going to a bigger club and sitting on the bench.
"But he has been ill-advised by his agent who is just concerned with money and the month of January could well see him nicked off us."
Colchester almost took the lead in the ninth minute when Richard Garcia was inches away from connecting with Chris Barker's cross.
Rangers responded in the 17th minute when star man Lee Cook, also linked with a big-money move to the Premiership, tricked his way past full-back Greg Halford and fired in a low shot which was saved by U's keeper Dean Gerken.
The home side's Australian midfielder Nick Ward then tested Gerken again four minutes later with a low shot.
Garcia flashed a low shot wide for Colchester before QPR took the lead in the 36th minute when Jones headed in Cook's cross from the left.
Geraint Williams' side tried to hit back swiftly as 13-goal hitman Jamie Cureton had a right-foot volley blocked.
And the Essex side were desperately unlucky to trail at the break after both Cureton and Garcia narrowly failed to get on the end of Kevin McLeod's inswinging leftwing cross.
Dexter Blackstock should have scored when he sprinted clear in the 53rd minute but the impressive Gerken blocked the striker's shot.
Colchester finished strongly as Halford headed Kevin Watson's corner over, Cureton had an effort blocked in the box and sub Johnnie Jackson went close.
"I didn't think we deserved anything out of the game and we are disappointed with the performance," said Williams.
"That's probably as poor as we have looked this season. We had no penetration, we didn't create any chances and it was hard work. A lot of the players looked very tired." Mirror

The SUN - VIKKI ORVICE at Loftus Road January 02, 2007
RAY JONES clinched a vital three points for Rangers and showed why boss John Gregory is desperate to hold on to him.
Striker Jones, 19, who was spotted by QPR playing Sunday football, has been offered three contracts but is refusing to sign a new deal and claims his advisors are encouraging him to leave.
He dumped in-form Colchester with a first-half header.
But Gregory, who has already turned down one “derisory” offer for the player from Fulham admitted: “That could be his last game for us.
Ray was a late developer and that was only his 15th start. He is out of contract in the summer and, personally, I think he is being ill-advised.
“I think he would be better staying with us and developing his career rather than going to a bigger club and sitting on the bench. But I’m resigned to losing him.”
Gregory’s team had lost seven of their previous eight league games and were just three points above the drop zone.
Colchester, the surprise package of the Championship this term, had beaten Wolves at the weekend to go sixth, the highest position in the club’s history.
But they failed to sparkle or repeat their success over Rangers at Layer Road in September, when they won 2-1.
That let in the home for their winner after 25 minutes. Winger Lee Cook, who scored a superb goal against Birmingham on Boxing Day, crossed into the area and the unmarked Jones headed home past Dean Gerken.
Gregory said: “It’s a good start to 2007. Last year was one to forget for English sport — particularly QPR — but we’ve started off on the right foot.”
Buoyant Rangers played brightest after the interval, too. Skipper Kevin Gallen’s right-foot effort went inches wide with Dexter Blackstock fluffling a superb chance with only Gerken to beat.
And in the 53rd minute Cook supplied Blackstock only for his shot to go straight to the keeper.
Three minutes later Cook was in the thick of it again, providing Jones with a great chance to net his second, only for the youngster to head wide.
Jamie Cureton had one of the U’s best chances but could not tap the ball in from a Kevin Mcleod cross. Kemal Izzett’s 55th-minute shot lacked power and was easily saved by Simon Royce at the other end.
And Chris Iwelumo could only head over Royce’s bar when Kevin Watson swung a corner into the box which was flicked on by Wayne Brown.
Manager Geraint Williams said: “We didn’t deserve anything. It was as poor as we’ve looked all season. We had no penetration, didn’t create chances and didn’t get going at all.
“The players looked tired and we didn’t even have a go, which is not like us.”
SUN STAR MAN - LEE COOK (QPR). Dangerous throughout. The Sun

SEE: Other Reports & Comments re Colchester Game & Likely move of Ray Jones & maybe Lee Cook

QPR 1 Colchester 0
By Tom Collomosse, PA Sport
Struggling QPR began the new year with a crucial victory thanks to Ray Jones' first-half header.
Rangers had lost seven of their previous eight matches in the Coca-Cola Championship and began the day only three points above the relegation zone, but Jones' 36th-minute effort was enough to sink play-off chasing Colchester.
Kevin Gallen hit the post for Rangers and Dexter Blackstock and Jones wasted clear chances, while the visitors enjoyed spells of pressure but rarely tested Rangers goalkeeper Simon Royce.
The teams were playing their fourth match in 10 days, and the fatigue showed in the early stages, with neither team capable of finding rhythm or fluency.
Fans had to wait until the 17th minute for the first shot on target, when Lee Cook breezed past Colchester's highly-rated right-back Greg Halford before firing straight at Dean Gerken from 15 yards.
Rangers came close again in the 21st minute when Gallen found the recalled Nick Ward on the right and the Australian cut inside before unleashing a left-footed drive which Gerken gathered at the second attempt.
Colchester were showing little of the form that had lifted them to sixth in the Championship this season, and Rangers moved ahead nine minutes before the break when Cook's left-wing cross was deflected into the path of Jones, who rose at the near post and guided his header into Gerken's left corner.
Rangers should have wrapped up the game early in the second half, but they hit the post and wasted two simple chances to do so.
Only 13 seconds after the re-start, Gallen's angled volley was pushed against the frame of the goal by Gerken, before both Blackstock and Jones produced remarkable misses.
Pat Baldwin's clearance against Blackstock rebounded favourably for the striker, who charged into the area but delayed his shot for too long, allowing Gerken to stop his six-yard effort.
And in the 57th minute, the unmarked Jones somehow managed to head Cook's perfect left-wing cross high and wide at the far post.
Having survived those three scares, Colchester came back into the match. In the 65th minute, Halford escaped his marker at the near post but could only head Kevin Watson's right-wing corner into the United fans behind the goal.
Six minutes later, Pat Kanyuka did well to block Jamie Cureton's close-range effort after Kem Izzet's mis-directed strike had found its way to the former QPR striker.
Geraint Williams' men went close again when Johnnie Jackson headed fellow substitute Hogan Ephraim's cross wide, but Rangers held on for an important win. Sporting Life

COLCHESTER OFFICIAL SITE REPORT - ones Does The Damage For R's
Colchester United began the year with a defeat at Loftus Road as Queens Park Rangers won this New Year's Day match 1-0.
The U's came in at half time 1-0 down as Ray Jones put the hosts ahead on thirty-six minutes with a neat header from a left wing cross.
Rangers had chances to increase the lead in the second half but still had to withstand a late U's onslaught to get all three points

According to the team sheets, there was due to be one change in the U's starting line-up as skipper Karl Duguid returned to replace Richard Garcia on the right of midfield.

When the teams came out though, it was Garcia who took to the field and started the game and Hogan Ephaim was summoned from the stands to unexpectedly take his place on the bench.
It later emerged that Duguid, who had picked up a blow to the ribs against Wolves at the weekend, had pulled up in the warm-up having suffered slight breathing difficulties as a result of bruising in that area. He was therefore not risked.
Wayne Brown and Chris Iwelumo both played with minor knocks against Wolves on Saturday and were fit to start against John Gregory's hoops, who themselves made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 at Norwich.

Rangers came into this New Years Day fixture fifth from bottom in the Championship with twenty seven points from their twenty six games, sixteen points less than the U's.

The initial target for the U's was fifty-two points and they went into this match at Loftus Road looking for the first of the three wins that would take them up to that total.

The stormy weather that had battered the capital over the last two days had subsided and West London was dry and relatively mild for early January as the teams ran out.

The U's supporters were housed in the upper tier, behind the goal that Dean Gerken was defending in the first half.

It was those U's fans that had a good view of the first real efforts at goal when, after a slow start, Lee Cook troubled the U's defence twice in the space of a minute.
First, on seventeen minutes, the diminutive winger went past Greg Halford on the Hoops' left wing before shooting straight at Dean Gerken.
Seconds later, Cook popped up on the right wing and whipped in a cross that just needed the slightest touch from a Rangers' forward. No-one got that touch and Gerken was relieved to see the ball go all the way across his six-yard box and out for a goal kick.

On twenty-one minutes, the U's were thankful for their young shot stopper when he smartly saved a Nick Ward shot. Ward had picked up the ball on the left hand side and after cutting in, hit a sharp left footed shot towards Gerken's near post that was well gathered.

The home side were having the best of the early possession but the U's had limited their hosts to long range shots.
There was a slight scare on half hour as Wayne Brown's header back to Gerken looped up in the air but Gerken was strong to take the ball above the leap of Dextor Blackstock.
At the other end seconds later, Richard Garcia went close with a twenty yard drive. Kevin McLeod cut in from the left but found his route to goal blocked by a Rangers' defender.

He rolled the ball square across the area to the Aussie, who hit his shot narrowly wide of Simon Royce's right hand post.

At a time when the U's looked like they were forcing their way back into the match, the hosts went ahead with thirty six minutes on the clock.

The ball was crossed in superbly by Lee Cook from the left wing and Ray Jones won the header at the near post and guided it goalwards.Gerken made a gallant effort to reach it but failed to prevent it finding the top corner of his goal.
Jones then put Pat Baldwin under intense pressure as the ball bounced but despite home fans ' shouts for a free kick as Baldwin tangled with Jones, the referee allowed play to continue.
The U's cleared the danger and immediately won a throw-in down the right hand side. Halford's throw found Brown and from his flick-on, Jamie Cureton had his first chance of the game.

The ball looped to the joint top scorer and he caught it perfectly on the volley, only to see it blocked by a home defender.

As the clock ticked on to forty-five minutes, the U's had their best chance of the half when Cureton and Garcia just failed to make contact with a low cross.

Barker and McLeod combined on the left but McLeod's cross couldn't be put in and the U's went in at half time 1-0 down.
It was probably a fair result given the possession that the home team had and Geraint Williams had to work his half time magic.
That half time team talk nearly had to be changed moments into the second half but Gerken stopped Rangers doubling their lead after less than thirty seconds of the second half.

Blackstock won a header and from the edge of the box, Ward let fly with a shot destined for the top corner. Gerken wasn't beaten this time though, and his fingertips diverted the ball onto the woodwork and away to safety.

Gerken was the busiest keeper in th eearly part of the half and his next save came as Dextor Blackstock threatened the U's goal.

Pat Baldwin was first to a loose ball but the former Southampton forward blocked his weak clearance.
Gerken was quickly out to smother the shot from close range to keep the score at 1-0. Jones then had a header saved by the highly rated Jones minutes later.
And as the hosts continued to press, it was Jones again that got on the end of a Cook cross, heading over with just Gerken to beat.

Just after the hour mark, Williams made his first change, with Johnnie Jackson replacing Kevin McLeod on the left of midfield.

The substitution coincided with the U's having their best spell with Halford heading a Kevin Watson corner over at the near post and then Kem Izzet miskicked his shot with Cureton having the follow up shot blocked.

Hogan Epraim was then introduced by Williams, coming on for Izzet with eighteen minutes remaining.
Jackson made his first real contribution on seventy-six minutes but his far post header cleared the crossbar following good work from Halford and Epraim on the right wing.

The U's were sensing a nervousness in the Rangers side and were pushing for the equaliser that seemed very unlikely after ten minutes of the second half.

Chris Iwelumo, who was being well marshalled by Kanyuka and Mancienne had his first effort on goal with seven minutes remaining, heading over from another Watson corner.

Jamie Guy was then introduced, replacing centre half Pat Baldwin as Williams made his intentions clear-he wanted a late equaliser. It wasn't to be though and the U's started 2007 with a defeat but with a healthy forty-three points on the board, nearing that original target of fifty-two.
Colchester