The Blues are likely to be largely unchanged this evening when they travel to QPR for their first away game of the season. Mark Fish will replace Jason De Vos at the heart of the defence but otherwise Town will line up as they did against Cardiff on Saturday.

De Vos cracked ribs during Saturday's game and is now expected to be out of action for between two and four weeks. Fish, who was due at Town for a trial this week prior to the loan being agreed, has joined on a month's loan and will wear the number 18 shirt.

Fish has a year left on his Charlton contract but has fallen back in the pecking order after suffering a series of injuries. Two seasons ago Fish almost died after crashing through a glass table at home while playing with his son, suffering gashes to the chest, back and arm.

Previously a regular in the Addicks side, by the time he returned other players had overtaken him and his opportunities were limited. An ankle injury also kept the 62-time South African international out of action last season.

Boss Joe Royle says that he was keen to bring in an experienced player to replace De Vos due to the significant number of youngsters already in the side: "We have enough young players at the moment and don't want to be putting more in if we can avoid it. Owen Garvan is there on merit but there is no point in putting someone like Chris Casement in if he is not quite ready yet."

Town could field another debutant aside from Fish at Loftus Road with Spanish full-back Sito having received international clearance. The former Racing Club Ferrol man is still short on fitness and looks likely to be on the bench with Matt Richards continuing at left-back but could be introduced as a substitute.

In midfield, the Blues will probably stick with Jim Magilton on the right with Jaime Peters likely to be introduced for the veteran during the second half.

Darren Currie will be facing one of the clubs where Tony Currie, his uncle, was a legend in the seventies. Currie junior, who scored on his Town debut in last season's corresponding fixture, often watched the R's as a youngster although he doesn't describe himself as a fan.

One Town player who certainly is a fan of QPR is Sam Parkin. The summer signing was a season ticket holder at Loftus Road and regularly went to away games with his father while growing up in West London.

The former Chelsea trainee has scored against Rangers for both Swindon and Northampton, where he had a spell on loan, but is yet to net at Loftus Road. Parkin looks in need of a goal and would be doubly pleased to open his account this evening.

Nicky Forster, who became Town's 50th debut goalscorer against Cardiff on Saturday, will line-up alongside Parkin with Dean Bowditch probably replacing Dean McDonald on the bench after overcoming his foot injury.

QPR will include former Blue Georges Santos in their side, while Mark Fish will face a former Charlton team-mate in R's keeper Simon Royce. The ex-Southend stopper joined QPR from the Addicks on a free transfer this summer.

Also in their squad is Marc Nygaard who was linked with a move to Town in 2001, but former Town trainee Adam Miller is unlikely to be involved.

Quirky Rangers boss Ian Holloway has a number of early season injury concerns. Winger Lee Cook is out due to a knee injury and will be replaced by one of Aaron Brown, Stefan Moore or Gareth Ainsworth.

Canadian international midfielder Marc Bircham and central defender Dan Shittu are both facing fitness tests after picking up knocks in the 1-1 opening day of the season draw at Hull City,

With Ian Evatt out for two weeks, Matthew Rose or Dominic Shimmin would replace Shittu alongside Santos if the Nigerian fails to make it. Striker Dean Sturridge has a groin injury and is out for three weeks.

Tonight's referee is Keith Stroud from Dorset who is in his second year as a Football League official. Last season Stroud showed 113 yellow cards and one red in 30 games. He has not previously refereed the Blues.

Town squad: Bowditch, Currie, Fish, Forster, Garvan, Horlock, Juan, Magilton, McDonald, Naylor, Parkin, Peters, Price, Richards, Sito, Supple, Westlake, Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls