QPR STARTED PREMIER LEAGUE LOSING AT HOME TO HULL CITY

QPR made a losing start to their Premier League return as James Chester's header gave Hull an opening-day victory at Loftus Road.

QPR started EPL losing at home to Hull City

Chester outmuscled Rangers debutant Rio Ferdinand at the back post to head in from a corner early in the second half.

The home side had a superb chance to salvage a point after Chester was harshly adjudged to have handled a cross from substitute Junior Hoilett.

But Allan McGregor rescued City by saving Charlie Austin's penalty.

On the balance of play, QPR deserved a point, having created by far the greater number of chances over the course of the game.

Prior to the goal, Alejandro Faurlin dragged a shot on the turn wide from inside the box, Joey Barton struck the side-netting with a curling free-kick from 20 yards and summer-signing Steven Caulker saw a header cleared off the line by Hull's own off-season recruit Andy Robertson.

But top-flight football is all about taking your chances when they come and in this regard, Hull have given the new-comers a valuable lesson.

Chester's header was the away side's first effort on target and one of only a handful throughout the game, yet it gives them the three points and that all-important opening-day platform.

The Tigers may have lacked a distinctly Shane Long-sized physical presence up front but they were well-drilled, disciplined and hard-working throughout.

QPR know only too well how costly a poor start can be after a 16-game winless run at the beginning of their last top-flight campaign in 2012-13 led to their relegation to the Championship.

That season, they suffered an opening-day humiliation as Swansea exposed all of their naivety and defensive deficiencies to claim a 5-0 victory on this ground.

This was a much better display, but it still yields the same number of points and suggests that while some deficiencies have been remedied, others clearly have not.

Former England captain Ferdinand is a high-profile addition, designed to provide maturity and authority at the back and for the most part did just that, with his every touch in the first-half greeted with grateful applause from the home support.

However, the 35-year-old's most significant act in the game cost them, as he allowed Chester to get the better off him at the back post and steer a header into the bottom corner of the net.

The fact Rangers were also unable to find the net evokes unwelcome memories of their last top-flight campaign when a return of just 30 goals - the lowest in the league that year - played a major part in their drop to the second tier.

Substitute Bobby Zamora had a superb chance when he was through on goal but allowed Ahmed Elmohamady to tackle him.

Loic Remy - who did enough to suggest that talk of a failed medical with Liverpool this summer were wide of the mark - saw the last of a trio of shots saved by McGregor in the closing stages.

Most galling of all for Rangers will be the penalty miss.

Chester was adjudged to have handled Hoilett's cross in the box when the ball appeared to strike his chest, but McGregor ensured any controversy was academic as he dived to his right to push away Austin's tame effort.