Hall ‘touch and go’ for QPR return

Steve McClaren says Grant Hall is “touch and go” for QPR’s Carabao Cup second-round tie against Bristol Rovers.

Hall, who missed most of last season with knee trouble and had surgery in February, was lined up for a return to first-team action against Peterborough in the previous round.

He ended up being an unused substitute for that match and has since been nursing a separate niggling injury and might also miss out on Tuesday.

Manager McClaren explained: “We’re just assessing him. He’s been training well. You’re always going to get little niggles and he has one at the moment.

“It’s touch and go whether he does play. But we’ve got to find a team for Tuesday and we want to win that game.”

Paul Smyth could feature unless a loan move materialises before the game.

Portsmouth are interested in Smyth and McClaren has suggested he is open to the Northern Ireland international leaving in order to play first-team football.