BOREHAM Wood's cosmopolitan pre-season continues on Saturday with the first ever visit of Championship side Queens Park Rangers to Meadow Park, writes John Mead.

Manager Ian Allinson explained that Hoops manager Neil Warnock contacted the club.

Allinson said: “We originally wrote to Crystal Palace who sent a side over last pre-season. They forwarded it to Neil who jumped at the chance at including us in his pre-season programme. Hosting both Watford (0-5) and Arsenal (August 3) every year confirms that professional outfits relish the chance to play on a surface that will leave them injury free, and it plays as true as any they play on in their competitive leagues.”

QPR arrive fresh from their three-match tour of the West Country.

Rangers are expected bring a highly-talented side. The match will give Warnock a further chance to blend recent signings Paddy Kenny, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry, Jamie Mackie and Leon Clarke into his existing squad.

The arriving players have an enormous wealth of experience. Keeper Kenny, now 32, is a Republic of Ireland international and arrives at Loftus Road in a £750,000 deal from Sheffield United.

Defender Hill is another player to have served previously under Warnock, joining from his old club Crystal Palace, having previously featured for Tranmere Rovers, Oldham Athletic and Stoke City.

Completing the trilogy of Warnock's favourites is midfielder Shaun Derry who was captain at Crystal Palace up until the end of last season. He is a vastly experienced player with a career spanning Notts County, Sheffield United, Portsmouth and Leeds United.

Strikers Jamie Mackie and Leon Clarke complete the new boys' club. Mackie joins from Plymouth Argyle, whilst Clarke, a Wolves academy product, arrives from Sheffield Wednesday.

Saturday's contest gives Allinson another chance to assess his own squad's strengths ahead of a challenging first year playing in the Blue Square Bet Conference South.

He said: “I feel we are possibly two or three players short of what I feel is required for the coming season and I would like to capture those players in time for our friendlies against Hendon and Billericay Town.”

Reflecting on Saturday's defeat to Watford, Allinson added: “ I felt we were okay in places and very poor in others. It is hard to judge just how good Watford were, but by re-organising ourselves in the second half we sacrificed attack a little to stem the flow of goals.”

Saturday's match kicks off at 3pm.