Lyndon Dykes reflects on scoring debut for QPR as they make dream Championship start
BY NICK KITUNO
Lyndon Dykes has said he feels “at home” after scoring on his debut to help Queens Park Rangers secure an opening day win over Nottingham Forest.
The Scotland international, who joined from Livingston this summer, dispatched from the penalty spot to give Rangers the lead before Ilias Chair’s injury time goal sealed all three points.
It was his first game for QPR since coming back from international duty, where he both earned his first senior cap and got off the mark against the Czech Republic.
He said: “I don’t think it could have gone any better unless I scored a hat-trick! It was good to get a goal and three points for the boys as well.
“Since I’ve come in the boys have been great. The manager [Mark Warburton] has been great, all the staff, been really enjoying it. I went away a little bit with internationals but I just feel at home straight away since I’ve come here.
“I think we’ve got a great bunch boys and I think we’re all going to work hard for each other this year.”
Dykes, who was Livingston’s top scorer in the SPL last season, got the chance to score a debut goal when he was brought down in the box by Tobias Figueiredo. He duly converted after smashing the ball past the diving Brice Samba.
This season will mark his first in English football and he says his ambition to move down south is in part to wanting to play at the highest level he possibly can.
Dykes said: “I always wanted to try and get to England. I wanted to play as high as I can in my career, never wanted to look back and I think, ‘I could have done that and this’. When the opportunity came up with QPR I was buzzing to try and get it done.
“Speaking to the manager, my agent spoke to him and, luckily enough, I got here. I’m really happy to be here, I’m still that new player coming to the training ground, trying to still learn where to go and new stuff to do, but I’m settling in easy.
“A club like this you can’t say no to because it’s got great history, and when I first stepped into the stadium I loved it. I think it’s a great little stadium, a great little feel to it.”
Asked whether he has any targets for the upcoming campaign, he added: “To be honest, not majorly. It’s been a crazy couple weeks to be honest, I haven’t really sat down and thought about it, I’ve been pulled all over the joint!
“Coming down to QPR and trying to settle down here, and then back up to internationals and now I’m back here, but I’ll sit down and have a little think about that.
“It’s just as long as I work hard for the boys, and the boys can see that, and we keep getting three points, then I’m happy.”
PICTURE BY KEITH GILLARD
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