QPR v Doncaster - Preview

HIGH-flying QPR welcome Doncaster Rovers this Saturday in what should prove to be an entertaining match with both teams playing an exciting brand of attacking football.

Doncaster have made an impressive start to the season playing neat football and sit just outside the play-off positions in 7th. Manager Sean O'Driscoll must take huge pride in the job he has done at Donny after taking over in 2006. With the current man in charge I feel Doncaster could be the dark horses of the division and so far have performed commendably.

QPR have exceeded all expectations so far and are already being touted as 'dead-certs' for promotion. A recent article in the Guardian stated the R's were as 'good as up' due previous starts made by promoted teams and the correlation with QPR's early form. Rangers will have to ignore the current media hype and keep grounded - which I'm certain Neil Warnock will do.

Saturday's game will be a good advert for the Championship - fast paced attacking football with plenty of skill involved. Doncaster have been hard side to play against having picked up good results against Preston, Norwich and Hull and with QPR the team to beat Doncaster will surely be going into the game determined to be the first to team to beat the current leaders.

Leicester City 0
QPR 2 (Mackie 2)

Team: Paddy Kenny, Kyle Walker, Kaspars Gorkss, Matthew Connolly, Clint Hill, Sean Derry, Akos Buzsaky, Adel Taarabt (Leigertwood), Hogan Ephraim, Jamie Mackie (Tommy Smith), Heider Helguson.

Doncaster Rovers 0
Leeds United 0

Team: Sullivan, Martis, O'Connor, Friend, Dumbuya, Gillett (Mason 85), Coppinger, Shiels (Fairhurst 80), Martin Woods, Sharp, Oster (Stock 79)

The Kilburn Times reported that injured trio Rob Hulse, Ali Faurlin and Bradley Orr could be out until mid-October. The players have made steady progress with their respective recoveries but will not be risked before then.

Long-term absentees Lee Cook and Peter Ramage remain sidelined but in-form striker Jamie Mackie looks to have shaken off a recent strain.

Tommy Smith, Martin Rowlands and Patrick Agyemang will be vying for a place in the starting XI but may have to settle for places on the bench.

For the second week running Mackie is my one to watch for QPR. He has had an incredible start to his QPR career scoring eight goals in seven league appearances including the memorable 95th minute equaliser against Derby and successive doubles against Ipswich and Leicester.

Mackie started his career at Wimbledon and stayed on when the club was renamed MK Dons but soon moved to conference side Exeter. A relatively successful stay at Exeter led to league clubs such as Bristol City, Norwich, Bristol Rovers and Cheltenham Town becoming interested in his signature.

Mackie handed in a transfer request before eventually signing for Plymouth Argyle for £125,000. Mackie remarkably scored 11 seconds into his debut against Barnsley after coming on as a substitute.

He went on to make 98 appearances for Plymouth scoring 16 times before moving to QPR this summer for a rumoured £100,000. At that price Jamie Mackie is proving to be a shrewd piece of business by Neil Warnock and is the Championship's leading scorer.

Sean O'Driscoll has no fresh injury or suspension worries so could well start with the same side that drew 0-0 with Leeds.

Captain Brian Stock who was on the bench against Leeds is pushing for a start whilst James Hayter could be available for selection having been out for six weeks with a torn hamstring.

Possible line-up:

Billy Sharp has been identified by DanielQPR as the player to watch ahead of this week`s match against Doncaster Rovers.

To read all about the One to Watch Click Here >>>

LAST FIVE

Queens Park Rangers: WDWWW
Doncaster Rovers: LWDWD

HEAD 2 HEAD

Queens Park Rangers: 5
Doncaster Rovers: 7
Draw: 1


LAST TIME OUT

Coca Cola Championship - 20- 2 -10
Loftus Road

QPR 2 (German, Simpson)
Doncaster Rovers 1 (Hayter)

Team: Ikeme, Ramage (Taarabt 77) , Stewart, Connolly (Borrowdale 85) , Hill, Gorkss, Buzsaky, Faurlin, Cook, Simpson, German (Vine 89)

Attendance: 11,178

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
Assistants: Darren Bond (Lancashire) & Chris Powell (Dorset)
Fourth Official: Gavin Muge (Bedfordshire)

Roger East is the match official for the game on Saturday and has officiated five games this season. His last game was the 1-1 draw between Plymouth and Carlisle.

Last season East issued 109 yellow cards and 3 Red in 34 games.

To read more about the man in the middle Click Here >>>

I don't think confidence could be any higher at QPR at the moment and if the Rangers we've all grown accustomed to this season turn up, then I can't see anything but a QPR win. I think Neil Warnock will have the team prepared properly and if any ounce of complacency is seen then I`m sure he will eradicate it quicker than you could say Hoops.

I think it's safe to say that Doncaster will have a good go at us on Saturday. They have some talented players- James Coppinger, Billy Sharp and Martin Woods are all proven at this level and seem to be the centre of Donny's attacking player. The towering Shelton Martis should provide decent competition for Heidar Helguson and former Wolves left-back George Friend has started the season well.

That said if QPR continue their rich vein of form then I think Rangers will be too strong for Doncaster. I think Helguson's movement and work-rate will cause problems and Adel Taarabt and Hogan Ephraim's interplay will wreak havoc the spaces behind the midfield and in front of the defence.

2-0 QPR win.

Who: Millwall

Where: Loftus Road

When: 28/09/10 - 20.00

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