QPR frustrated as nine men of Plymouth hold on for a point

QPR (1) 1 Frey 3

Plymouth Argyle (1) 1 Whittaker 28 Forshaw s/o 29, Issaka s/0 90

Rangers are still looking for their first league win of the campaign after failing to cash in on an Argyle side who had two players sent off.

Wayne Rooney's Pilgrims - as we are now expected to call them - had to play out an hour without Adam Forshaw and at the death had sub Freddie Issaka sent off after a straight red for fouling Kenneth Paal. But the Hoops, having started so brightly, failed to find the necessary gears to punish them.

It was a mystery that they faded so much. They had one debutant - one of three players making their home bows - and all impressed in their own way. Here is a side Marti Cifuentes is still trying to mould to his satisfaction, but within the opening minute we saw why two of those could prove very useful in the months ahead.

New playmaker Kader Dembele - signed on loan from French Ligue 1 side Brest, though he actually hails from Lambeth - was soon wowing home fans with a fine burst of pace through the middle and a sweet touch with his favoured left foot to set up fellow newcomer Koki Saito for a shot at goal.

Just seconds later, the 21-year-old midfielder was releasing Paul Smyth for a dart at goal down the right before drilling in the corner that was flicked in with a near post header by Michael Frey, who got in front of Argyle skipper Joe Edwards to find the net.

The 24-year-old Dane Nicolas Madsen, signed from Belgian side Westerlo this week and the eighth new arrival at Loftus Road this summer, was less immediately eye-catching, but tidy and calm in possession and dovetailing well with Sam Field. The suspended Jack Colback will have competition for his place.

One clever ball slipped through by Madsen to Dembele ended with the diminutive number 7 - a bandaged right arm an added useful feature for team-mates looking to pick him out - skimming the crossbar from just outside the box.

A bolt out of the blue from Morgan Whittaker from outside the box after a miss-control from Field gave Paul Nardi no chance but Rangers' disappointment at conceding against he run of play was soon eclipsed by the Pilgrims going down to 10 men after 30 minutes.

Forshaw - already booked for hauling back Dembele to stop a counter-attack - was given a second yellow by ref Gavin Ward for a crude chop at Jimmy Dunne.

Cifuentes could afford to send on an extra striker in Zan Celar after the interval to try and cash in. Early pressure saw Field glance a header against an upright and Dunne wasn't far off with another at the other stick, but Rangers struggled to impose themselves in the way we might have expected.

Celar blazed over on the turn and the Loft End groaned as the frustration mounted. But a fine effort from Steve Cook - well saved by keeper Conor Hazard, and a follow up from Field that was also turned aside, still promised a rousing finale.

As it was, the closest they came again was when Celar glanced a free-kick agonisingly wide at the end. Some good signs then, but not quite sustained during a sometimes tepid second half.

R's: (4-2-3-1) Nardi - Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal - Madsen (Varane 40), Field - Smyth, Dembele (Lloyd 90), Saito (Celar h/t) - Frey (Kolli 80)

Pilgrims: (4-2-3-1) Hazard - Edwards, Gibson, Galloway (Ogbeta 88), Mumba (Szucs 78) - Randall, Forshaw - Whittaker, Gyabi (Houghton 62) Cissoko (Issaka 62) - Hardle (Obafami 62)

Attendance: 15,285