HASSELBAINK WELCOME GIFT

JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK will take over at QPR today, boosted by a freak last-minute goal that saw caretaker boss Neil Warnock sign off with back-toback wins. Nedum Onuoha’s header, which Reading keeper Ali Al-Habsi spilled into his own net, secured an unlikely victory for Rangers despite an abject performance. Subject to the agreement of a nominal compensation package, Hasselbaink is leaving Burton after 13 months of success, in which he helped them win League Two. He leaves them top of League One. The former Chelsea striker was not at the Madejski Stadium last night but will have been given some idea of his new side’s problems if he watched on TV. Without Charlie Austin, left on the bench as he is still working his way back from a calf injury, QPR struggled to threaten. This was a game in which both sides lacked conviction. Michael Hector should have put out-ofform Reading — who have won just once in eight games — ahead when he headed wide from Oliver Norwood’s free kick. Nick Blackman hit the bar from a free-kick in the second half for Reading and the game appeared to be petering out. QPR had not tested Al-Habsi all game. Onuoha’s tame header from Alejandro Faurlin’s corner was straight at the keeper but suddenly found its way in. Warnock, who has steered Rangers to just two points off the top six, said: ‘Jimmy can take them up another step like he did at Burton. It will be a good test because the Championship is difficult. ‘These were difficult circumstances today because of what’s going on behind the scenes. But I asked the players to put that to bed and just give me everything.’