Anxious QPR assess star striker’s injury

QPR are assessing a shoulder injury suffered by Charlie Austin in their 2-1 victory against Bolton at Loftus Road.

Austin carried on after several minutes of treatment and put Rangers ahead with a header from Matt Phillips’ 40th-minute cross.

Rangers’ 15-goal striker eventually had to come off in the second half, by which time his team were 2-0 up courtesy of Karl Henry’s 20-yard strike.

“Charlie’s got a problem with his shoulder and we don’t yet know the extent of it,” explained QPR assistant boss Kevin Bond.

“He had to come off after going on as long as he could. In the end it was too much for him and we’ll have to assess it.

“He’s as game as they come and got his goal from a great cross by Matt Phillips. We know we’re reliant on Charlie and didn’t need reminding.”

Bolton had gone close to opening the scoring when Craig Davies’ powerful effort hit the bar.

They caused the hosts problems and pulled a goal back through Jay Spearing’s 85th-minute shot from near the edge of the box, but were unable to find an equaliser.

Bond admitted: “We were in control of the game but got a bit sloppy in the last 10 minutes and conceded a goal.

“We made really hard work of it in the end and that was not very pleasing. I also didn’t think we played very well for the first half an hour.

“Our tempo was too slow, both with and without the ball, and we needed to pick that up.”

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