Steve McClaren hails Bright Osayi-Samuel after match-winning performance

QPR boss Steve McClaren labelled Bright Osayi-Samuel a “star of the future” after the young winger played a starring role in the 3-1 win against Bristol Rovers in the Carabao Cup second round.

Osayi-Samuel was lively throughout and opened the scoring after just four minutes.

Pawel Wszolek doubled the lead with a right-footed strike 13 minutes later and after Rovers missed several chances, Matt Smith’s 64th-minute header sealed Rangers’ third-round place before Ed Upson’s scrambled goal gave the visitors a late consolation.

“I think the first 20 minutes were when we won the game. We got in control with the two goals,” said McClaren, who made 11 changes and selected a number of youngsters.

“There were a lot of positives tonight, the result being one and the performance being another.  We wanted to win this game and the boys delivered.

“I knew there was young talent here. I know that from training. They’ve got to do it in the big arena and a lot of them did that, but none more special than Bright.

“He’s going to be a real star of the future. He’s not just got speed, he’s got that end product. He can cross, get assists and can score.

“He needs consistency in this game but that will only come when he plays.”

Rangers were also boosted by the return to action of Grant Hall, who played 65 minutes.

The defender missed most of last season and had been sidelined since December with a knee injury.

McClaren said:  “He’s a leader, a talker, he’s experienced and he can come out with the ball and play and that’s something we need in our team.

“The important thing is that he’s come through. He now carries on with his rehab.”

Rovers boss Darrell Clarke admitted they paid the price for missing chances after conceding the early goals.

Clarke, whose side have lost four of their five League One matches this season, said:  “We certainly created enough chances but the difference between the two sides was their ruthlessness in front of goal.

“We’ve opened them up quite a few times and haven’t been clinical enough in the key moments of the game.

“It’s been a really tough month. Throughout the course of the season you can only afford one bad month and we’ve got to make sure that’s ours and we’ve got it out of the way.

“We now have to dust ourselves down and pull ourselves towards a big September.

“You go through spells in football where things go against you. But you’ve seen there a team that believes in themselves.

“As a group we’re staying strong and will certainly make sure we turn things around. Let’s put this month behind us.

“We’re all desperate to turn it around and we will do. The only way you do that is by sticking together.”