Deflating start for QPR as Maya's treble hands West Brom the points

QPR (1) 1 Andersen 16

West Bromwich Albion (1) 3 Maja 26, 51, 65

A Josh Maja hat-trick ruined Rangers' hopes of getting the new season off to a flier.

It was not quite as bad as last season's opening day mauling at Watford, but was still a painful way to get the ball rolling.

Having taken an early lead through Lucas Andersen, the Hoops succumbed to the prowess of Albion's Nigerian striker, who netted with two headers before bundling in at the far post to spoil the hopeful opening day mood of home fans.

Rangers wasted little time in giving their fans - and themselves - the early boost they wanted to show this season should be anything but a repeat of last season's struggles at the wrong end of the table.

They were in front after a quarter of an hour when a sweetly flighted ball into the centre from Rayan Kolli out on the left bypassed everyone to meet the head of the Andersen, who timed his dash into the centre to perfection. His header gave keeper Alex Palmer no chance.

But the Baggies drew level 10 minutes later when Torbjorn Heggem was given too much freedom down the left and his cross to the near post was headed home by Maja and on-fire striker was on hand to bury another cross with his head at the start of the second half after Tom Fellows had got around Kenneth Paal way too easily.

And it was a similar tale of woe when sub Alfie Lloyd - just on for an injured Kolli - allowed Fellows to dart past him down the same right channel before crossing for Maya to complete the job - the ball falling nicely to the striker with the aid of a deflection off Jake Clarke-Salter.

But for a good block by debutant keeper Paul Nardi to deny Karlan Grant, the damage might have been even greater. Albion always looked slicker going forward and were mostly in the comfort zone during a disappointing second half in which sub Michael Frey missed a great chance to pull a goal back.

It was a difficult debut for summer signing Zen Celar, with the 25-year-old Slovenian struggling to get into the game. He eventually made way for Frey.

The absence of an injured Ilias Chair deprived Rangers of some of the guile they could have done with to get back into a contest that ebbed away from them. Lyndon Dykes was not risked as he battles back from an ankle injury.

There were glimpses of two summer signings off the bench, though neither Jonathan Varane nor Dan Bennie could turn the tide in Rangers' favour.

During the tail end of last season, the green shoots of recovery nurtured by boss Marti Cifuentes really started to show their potential in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Albion that, on any other day, would have yielded a win for the R's.

They were irresistible on an evening in which they paid the best possible homage to a recently-deceased Stan Bowles by playing with real style and panache.

Today showed that there is much work to do to get up to that kind of level again and to maintain it. Next up for the Hoops is a Carabao Cup tie at Cambridge followed by a tough looking visit to Sheffield United next weekend.

R's: (4-2-3-1) Nardi - Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal - Colback (Varane 71), Field - Smyth (Bennie 85), Andersen, Kolli (Lloyd 57) - Celar (Frey 71)

Albion: (4-2-3-1) Palmer - Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, Heggem (Frabotta 85) - Molumby (Diakite 76), Mowatt - Fellows (Dobbin 81), Swift, Ahearne-Grant - Maja (Cole 76)