JET scores twice as QPR win opening friendly

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas scored twice as QPR began their pre-season campaign with a 3-2 win at Aldershot Town.

None of Rangers’ three summer signings – Ariel Borysiuk, Joel Lynch and Jake Bidwell – were involved at the EBB Stadium, where youngster Olamide Shodipo also netted.

Steven Caulker, back at the club after spending last season out on loan, first at Southampton and then Liverpool, did feature.

Emmanuel-Thomas sent an early effort wide of the target and set up the opening goal, on 16 minutes, when he threaded the ball through to Shodipo, who rounded former R’s keeper Jake Cole before tapping into an empty net.

The home side levelled six minutes later through Shamir Fenelon’s deflected shot, but Emmanuel-Thomas restored Rangers’ lead by firing into the far corner from near the left-hand edge of the six-yard box.

And the forward netted again, this time with a fine left-footed strike from 25 yards, 10 minutes before half-time.

QPR defender Grant Hall picked up a heavy knock and for a while appeared to be struggling, but he was able to continue until the interval, when Rangers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink made 11 changes.

Aldershot’s Ben Harrison, on the other hand, was stretchered off and taken to hospital following a crunching challenge from Nedum Onuoha soon after the restart.

Guri Demura scored the Shots’ second goal and they almost equalised when Nick Arnold’s late strike hit the post