Bow wow for Hemed gives Mac first points
STEVE McCLAREN insisted QPR’s season has finally started after a stunning debut winner from Tomer Hemed.
The ex-England manager secured strike power in the loan market after seeing his side lose the first four league games of the season.
And Brighton ace Hemed,
31, made a huge and instant impact – scoring an acrobatic
35th-minute winner to secure a first win and haul QPR off the foot of the table.
Nahki Wells, from Burnley, is another member of the loan cavalry McClaren expects to ignite Rangers’ campaign.
But Wigan were fuming at the results, with boss Paul Cook insisting Hemed’s strike should have been ruled out for an earlier push on Cheyenne Dunkley.
A delighted and relieved McClaren said: “Getting them in on loan has made a huge difference, especially as we had no money to buy.
“We were praying for the transfer window to close and the loan market to open as that was all we could take.
“Once they came in on Thursday you could see the belief in the other players, they could see we were actually moving forward. Now we know we’ve got people on the field who can score goals.
“It’s a nice fresh start. The fight was incredible and you have to do that to keep a clean sheet.”
After conceding 10 goals in four days QPR goalkeeper Matt Ingram was dropped, replaced by Joe Lumley.
And the stand-in delivered some outstanding saves.
Nick Powell and Josh Windass looked dangerous for Wigan in the first half.
But against the run of play Rangers took the lead with a spectacular goal from Israel international Hemed.
A corner from Luke Freeman was not cleared and Hemed hooked in, with Wigan angrily claiming a push on Dunkley in the melee.
Cook said: “If the referee doesn’t think that’s a foul we have all got issues. It has changed the game – goals change the whole dynamic.
“It is about getting the key decisions at the key moments right.
“They are massive and if they get them right this probably ends up 0-0.”