TOM Hitchcock kick-started QPR’s Elite Development Squad’s season with a match-winning brace against Ipswich Town on Monday.





Goals either side of half-time from the in-form frontman – his fourth in three EDS outings this term – secured the R’s first victory of the Professional Development League 2 campaign.





Hitchcock’s double capped a resilient display by Rangers at Harlington, where Niko Kranjcar starred during an assured 60-minute cameo appearance for his new club.





Bircham made four changes from the R’s opening day defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, with deadline day arrival Kranjcar amongst the starting XI. The midfielder - signed on a season-long loan from Dynamo Kyiv - came into contention after missing Saturday’s 1-0 win over Birmingham City.





The visitors began brightly, forcing the first corner of the afternoon within two minutes. Jack Doherty’s centre found Jonny Leddy but his header drifted harmlessly over Aaron Lennox’s crossbar.





It didn’t take long for Rangers to find their stride, though, as Mo Shariff called Lennox’s opposite number into action four minutes later. Bruno Andrade’s delicate chip fell perfectly for the winger, whose acrobatic volley was clawed away at full stretch by Michael Crowe.





Ipswich eventually cleared Kranjcar’s resulting corner as well as two more in quick succession before the woodwork came to the visitors’ rescue.





Another inviting cross by Andrade fell Hitchock’s way, whose glancing volley came back off the post before Max Ehmer dragged the rebound wide.





Another Kranjcar set-piece, this time from a free-kick, shortly after caused havoc in the box as Emmanuel Monthe’s instinctive volley flashed wide.





Rangers remained in the ascendancy, though, and found the breakthrough their early dominance deserved on 19 minutes. Andrade’s trickery paved way for a chance, seeing his effort deflect into Hitchcock’s path, who was perfectly placed to stab into an empty net from close range.





Falling behind sparked Town into life, at least momentarily, as Jake Nicholson’s swerving 25-yard shot came close to levelling the scores.





Kranjcar was soon threatening a second R’s goal at the other end, however. His corner was headed narrowly wide by Monthe before the Croatian came within inches of capping an impressive opening 45 minutes with a goal of his own. Kranjcar profited from more good work by Andrade down the right but saw his side-footed effort slide agonisingly past the far post.





Rangers were almost made to pay a minute before the break as Ipswich twice threatened an equaliser. Lennox was called upon to claw Alan Lee’s close-range volley away before Jack Harriott had a goal chalked off for offside.





Town continued to rally after the interval, defending well to clear Hogan Ephraim’s blasted effort on 57 minutes before spurning a gilt-edged chance of their own. After failing to deal with a floated cross, Lennox was fortunate to see Kieran Morphew’s miskicked volley fly straight into his arms.





Second-half substitute Michael Petrasso – replacing Kranjcar on the hour mark – almost made an instant impact off the bench at the other end. The R’s winger raced clear down the left before seeing his goalbound effort blocked on the line.





Rangers were quickly on the backfoot as Ipswich pressed for a leveller. Harriott seemed destined to do so before Lennox rushed out of his area to quell the danger with a perfectly timed challenge.





Lennox preserved his hard-earned clean sheet late on as Harriott was once again denied by the R’s number one, who flung himself away to his left to palm away his next strike on goal.





The Australian's heroics between the sticks proved crucial as Rangers set the seal on victory with three minutes left on the clock. Petrasso and Mo Shariff combined to set up Hitchcock, slamming home his second of the afternoon with a clinical finish into the roof of the net.





Shariff almost added a third in stoppage time but, after his effort flew over, Rangers stood firm at the other end to collect their first three points of the season at the second time of asking.





QPR: Lennox, Gibbons, Monthe, Ehmer, Sendles-White, Magri, Shariff, Ephraim (Skapetis 71), Hitchcock, Kranjcar (Petrasso 60), Andrade.





Unused substitutes: Lumley, Brown, Kpekawa.





Goals: Hitchcock (19, 87)



