QPR 1-0 Stoke

Andy Thomson's 23rd-minute strike was enough to give QPR a 1-0 win over promotion candidates Stoke City on their return to Division Two.

Rangers - in their first game in the third tier of the league since 1967 - got off to the start manager Ian Holloway would have wanted.

Thomson struck a sweet shot from the edge of the penalty area following Stuart Wardley's pass, to leave Gavin Ward helpless in the Stoke goal.

Rangers dominated the game and could well have added to their tally against a Stoke side who had four players booked.

Thomson, Marcus Bignot and Steve Palmer all went close but in the end Holloway had to settle for the 1-0 victory.

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QPR: Day, Forbes, Ben Askar, Palmer, Bruce, Perry, Bignot, Bonnot, Connolly, Thomson, Wardley. Subs: Bull, Rose, Griffiths, Warren, Koejoe.

Stoke: Ward, Thomas, Handyside, Shtaniuk, Clarke, Gudjonsson, Vandeurzen, O'Connor, Hoekstra, Thorne, Cooke. Subs: Cutler, Iwelumo, Thordarson, Rowson, Henry.

Referee: E Wolstenholme (Blackburn)