QPR U23s v Hull City U23s - Professional Development League Two South - Monday, 14th August 2017 - Harlington

A HATTRICK from Eberechi Eze helped QPR Under-23s cruise to comfortable 4-1 win against Hull City on Monday afternoon.

The youngster scored three goals as Sean Goss added a fourth for Paul Hall’s side at Harlington as the R’s Elite Development Squad got their season off to a winning start.

QPR set the tone for the opening half inside the first three minutes when a powering run from Eze eventually saw Ilias Chair fire wide from 18-yards.

Soon after Goss took aim from distance but his effort also found the wrong side of the post as Paul Hall’s side looked to take control at their training ground.

Canadian winger Michael Petrasso was next up try his luck after cutting in from the right but visiting keeper Charlie Andrew was at his best to push his shot from 12-yards around the post. Kakay’s cross then found the head of forward Aramide Oteh but the former Tottenham youngster was unable to direct it on target in what was an opening 25 minutes of one way traffic.

That pressure eventually told in the 31st minute when the impressive Eze once again drove at the Hull backline before finishing with aplomb from the edge of the box to put QPR 1-0 up.

Celebrations though were short-lived, as Petrasso forced another save from the keeper play switched to the other end and with the Tigers first real attack of the match R's defender Alex Baptiste turned Greg Luer's cross into his own net to make it 1-1 after 38 minutes.

That was how it remained at the break but QPR were once again in a buoyant mood in the second period and when Oteh won a corner nine minutes after the interval the forward would have hoped to have done better when Goss’ set-piece picked him out but he was unable to get his header on target.

Four minutes after replacing Oteh, substitute Reece Grego-Cox nearly handed the R’s the lead as a good ball from the left from full-back Niko Hamalainen picked out Grego-Cox in the area but the Republic of Ireland U21 forward glanced just over the bar from six-yards.

However, Rangers eventually restored their lead when in the 71st minute Eze was on hand to head home from 10-yards. Following good work from substitute Daniel Rowe down the right wing the ex-Leicester attacker picked out Eze in the box and the 18-year-old calmly headed past Andrew’s for his second of the afternoon.

Hall’s side survived a scare soon after as Ben Hinchcliffe should have done better when presented with a golden opportunity at the other end for Hull but the sub screwed wide of the target.

The same could not be said for Sean Goss at the other end however. The R’s midfielder timed his run perfectly at the back post to collect the ball before side footing into the far corner from 10-yards in the 78th minute to make it 3-1 to the hosts.

However, there was still time for a fourth goal as Eze completed his hattrick from the penalty spot four minutes from time. Grego-Cox won the spot kick for QPR after nearly having his head removed from his shoulders in the area but it was left to Eze to score from 12-yards as the R’s claimed victory.

QPR U23s: Lumley, Kakay, Hamalainen, Owens, Baptiste, Paul (Phillips 74), Petrasso, Goss, Oteh (Grego-Cox 63), Eze, Chair (Rowe 63).

Subs not used: Herdman.

Goal: Eze 31, 71, 86. Goss 78.

Booked: Paul (dissent)