QPR striker Polter backed after late miss

QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink defended Sebastian Polter after the striker’s late miss in the 1-1 draw with Reading at Loftus Road.

Grant Hall’s 35th-minute header – his first goal for Rangers – put them ahead before Deniss Rakels equalised for the visitors six minutes later.

Both teams had chances in the second half and perhaps the best fell to Polter, who headed wide from close range.

But Hasselbaink said: “Missed chances happen. I hope he puts himself in that position more often – I’ve got no problem with that.”

The Dutchman added: “I think we did enough in the first half to come in in front and it was frustrating that they scored so soon after we scored.

“It had the feeling of an end-of-season game and it was a little bit up and down. We couldn’t get a foothold for a long spell – they had it and then we had it.

“But in the end, I still feel we had enough chances to have made it 2-1.”

Hasselbaink, who took over as manager in December, is already planning for next season, when the club will be looking to further reduce the average age of their squad.

He said: “With two more games this season, if you’re not already starting to plan for next year then you will have a big problem. You need to plan in advance.

“It is clear the direction we need. We have to have younger players – more assets in the club.

“We have to look at more players who are 23, 24 or 25. I’m not saying we shouldn’t sign a 30-year-old, but in the past few years too many players have come here to retire.”