QPR' Win Against Barnsley: 11 Points From Playoffs - Reports and Comments

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QPR won 2 0 before a record home crowd of 16,000 plus, and move up to 33 points: 6 away from the bottom 3 and 11 points away from the 6th playoff spot with 18 games left. League Table


QPR OFFICIAL SITE - DE CANIO COMMENTS: STARTING TO GEL
Luigi De Canio was 'moderately satisfied' following the R's 2-0 victory against Barnsley.
Goals from home debutants Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine set the seal on an encouraging attacking display from the hosts at a packed Loftus Road, but De Canio wants more.
"The new players are really starting to gel," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"But I am only moderately satisfied with the display, because I know there is still so much more to come from this group.
"I strive for perfection and I wanted us to finish Barnsley off in the second half and that didn't happen.
"We will work on it though and I am sure we can achieve our objectives."
De Canio continued: "I'm really happy though, because we're moving forward as a group.
"We have a group of players that can withstand any problems thrown their way."
De Canio also responded to paper talk that suggested he had failed to settle in London, commenting: "The man who wrote that is wrong.
"I just don't know where he got his information from. I am very happy here." QPR


SPORTING LIFE - DE CANIO DENIES BEING UNSETTLED
QPR boss Luigi De Canio dismissed speculation about his future following the 2-0 Championship victory over Barnsley at Loftus Road.
Reports had suggested the Italian was struggling to settle in London and could leave Rangers at the end of the season.
But De Canio said: "I have no idea where all that came from. I am very happy here. I am a happy man and a happy manager.
"The owners of the club have an ambitious project and want to take this club forward.
"When I work with people I trust them and give them all my faith. I am enjoying working at this club."
Goals from Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine gave a new-look Rangers team a deserved victory.
They made the perfect start, going ahead after just four minutes.
Vine crossed from the right and Dexter Blackstock's lay-off found Agyemang, who lifted the ball over keeper Heinz Muller before applying the finishing touch with his head.
And Vine's goal - his first since his loan move from Birmingham was made permanent - put Rangers further ahead just before half-time.
Vine combined brilliantly with Agyemang, twice exchanging quick passes with his fellow striker before tapping home.
Martin Rowlands almost netted an even better goal just after the break.
The Rangers captain weaved his way past three defenders and rounded Muller only for his shot to be cleared off the line by Dennis Souza.
Defender Matt Connolly - one of four QPR players making their home debut - sent a long-range chip just wide and Mikele Leigertwood's drive was saved by Muller as the home side continued to dominate.
De Canio added: "I am moderately satisfied with the performance, although with the number of new signings playing for the team today, I have to be quite happy.
"It is not easy bringing in new players but we now know that we have a group of players that are working very well.
"It is important, though, that we have the mentality that when we are 2-0 up we want to kill the game and go on and get three or four goals."
Barnsley missed good chances when Jamal Campbell-Ryce shot straight at Rangers keeper Lee Camp and substitute Kayode Odejayi later blazed wide from close range.
"We had chances in the second half and we needed one of them to go in," admitted Barnsley manager Simon Davey.
"We had a lot of possession, we just didn't get the goal. Jamal had a good chance and after that, Kayode had one as well.
"This is a tough place to come to. We had a gameplan, and it was undone when QPR scored after just a few minutes.
"But for two lapses of concentration in the first half, it might have been very different. But we got caught out for the first goal and then the second goal killed us.
"You make your own luck in this game and we need now to start winning matches." Sporting Life


QPR OFFICIAL SITE
New-boys Patrick Agyemang and Rowan Vine were on target, as Rangers eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory against out-of-sorts Barnsley.
In front of the biggest crowd of the campaign, the R's were good value for the two goal win, which extended their unbeaten home run to four matches.
In a first half which largely flattered to deceive, Rangers were perhaps a little fortunate to head into the break with a two-goal buffer.
Agyemang opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes with a tidy finish, before Vine made it two on the stroke of half-time, after the former Preston man played provider.
The R's went on to dominate the second half, with Martin Rowlands going closest to extending the hosts' advantage on a couple of occasions.
Following last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United, Luigi De Canio opted for the guile and pace partnership of Dexter Blackstock and Agyemang in attack, but there was no place in the squad for Gavin Mahon, who missed out due to illness.

Tykes boss Simon Davey gave a debut to recent recruit Miguel Tininho, while Brian Howard overcame a slight knock to start in the heart of the Barnsley midfield.

There was an early scare for the hosts when debutant Matthew Connolly required lengthy treatment from physio Paul Hunter following a four-way collision on the halfway line.

Thankfully the right back emerged unscathed, and from their very first attack of the game just 60 seconds later, the R's took the lead.

Vine's centred ball found Blackstock, who in turn played a sublime reverse pass into Agyemang. The pacy front-man beat the onrushing Heinz Muller to the ball, flicked it over him and headed home into an empty net for his second in as many games.

It was a fitting reward for Rangers' impressive start, which yet again owed much to the battling qualities of skipper Rowlands and the returning Mikele Leigertwood in the R's midfield engine room.

Buoyed by their early superiority, Rangers went in search of a second, with Fitz Hall heading an Akos Buzsaky corner a yard wide in the 13th minute.

The Tykes, to their credit, were enjoying plenty of possession, but the Rangers back four, marshalled by the domineering Hall, were rarely tested.

Brian Howard's 24th minute effort from distance, which flew well wide of Lee Camp's right hand post, was the best Barnsley could muster, while at the other end, Buzsaky's cross from the by-line just evaded Vine.

Rangers saved their best move of the half for the final minute, as Vine notched home the all-important second goal of the contest.

Agyemang, who impressed on his full home debut, played provider, as he and Vine twice combined to tear the Tykes defence to shreds.

Faint appeals for an offside flag fell on deaf ears as Agyemang unselfishly squared the ball for Vine, and the wide-man did the rest, firing into the back of the net with aplomb.

Rangers began the second half in determined mood and but for a late stumble, Rowlands would've had the goal of the season all but wrapped up.

Picking the ball up just inside the Barnsley half, the midfield maestro jinked past challenge after challenge, only to lose his footing as he attempted to coast past goalkeeper Heinz Muller.

Despite seeing his effort from an acute angle eventually cleared off the line, the Loftus Road masses rose as one to salute an extraordinary individual run.

At the other end, Camp saved with his face to deny the roaming Jamal Campbell-Ryce, after Hall's slip allowed the nippy winger to bare down on goal, before strong appeals for a QPR spot-kick were turned down when Blackstock was dragged to ground by Dennis Souza.

In complete contrast to the first period, the chances were now coming thick and fast, with Connolly getting in on the act when his deft clip flew inches wide of Muller's right hand upright.

Leigertwood's 59th minute blockbuster brought the best out of the overworked Muller, who palmed the ball to safety, before Tykes substitute Kayode Odejayi somehow volleyed over after fellow replacement Rohan Ricketts sent an inviting ball to the back post.

Rowlands' all-action display very nearly got the goal it deserved in the 76th minute, with a move direct from the Harlington Training Ground.

Buzsaky picked him out on the edge of the box from a corner, and Rowlands took one touch to set before drilling his low shot inches wide.

With Hall seemingly struggling with a calf injury, De Canio even had the luxury of welcoming Michael Mancienne back to the fold from a seven week lay-off in the final 10 minutes.

That prompted a defensive reshuffle and there were yet more changes to the R's back-line in the final moments, when Damion Stewart was stretchered off and replaced by Kieran Lee.

QPR: Camp, Delaney, Stewart (Lee 84), Blackstock (Ephraim 89), Buzsaky, Rowlands, Connolly, Agyemang, Vine, Hall (Mancienne 80), Leigertwood.

Subs: Crowther, Balanta.

Scorers: Agyemang 5, Vine 45

Barnsley: Muller, Hassell, Howard, Foster, Souza, Campbell-Ryce, Van Homoet, Coulson (Ferenczi 55), Devaney (Ricketts 71), Leon (Odejayi 55), Tininho.

Subs: Kozluk, Togwell.

Referee: Mr R J Beeby

Attendance: 16, 197 QPR

BARNSLEY OFFICIAL SITE - FULL TIME FROM LOFTUS ROAD
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2 (Agyemang 5, Vine 44) BARNSLEY 0

BARNSLEY had a go in the second half but were eventually made to pay for two cataclysmic goals in the opening 45 minutes.

Reds boss Simon Davey handed full debuts to new signing Miguel Tininho and Diego Leon as he looked for a vital away success at Loftus Road. Michael Coulson also started the game as Kayode Odejayi, Miguel Mostto and Grant McCann dropped out.

Barnsley got off to the worst possible start inside the first five minutes as the Reds defence made a complete mess of Rowan Vine's cross and Patrick Agyemang was able to nip through and planted the ball past Heinz Muller and into the back of the net.
QPR went close to a second on 14 minutes as the Reds defence was caught out from Akos Buzsaky's corner and Dexter Blackstock rose highest but planted his header well wide of the target.
The Reds finally broke into the Rangers half on 18 minutes when Jamal Campbell-Ryce was sent sprawling by Damion Stewart. Brian Howard took the free kick but fired well over the bar from 30 yards. Marciano van Homoet managed to get in behind the Rangers defence on 19 minutes to cross well but Coulson could not divert his header on target. A minute later Tininho found himself in acres of space down the left and crossed well but Martin Devaney could not get his shot away under pressure. Leon turned the Rangers defence in knots on 23 minutes as he spun away from two challenges before finding Howard in space but the Reds skipper could not hit the target from 20 yards.

After laying dormant as an attacking force pretty much since the opening goal, Rangers finally burst into life on 42 minutes as Buzsaky broke down the left and brought an outstanding low save from Muller with a well-struck shot. The ball bounced up and somehow evaded Vine on the edge of the six yard box.

Rangers ended the first half with a goal and pretty much ended the Reds hopes a Loftus Road as Agyemang raced clear onto Blackstock's fine pass in the area. Agyemang did well to cross and gave Vine the simplest of tap ins from four yards out.

Barnsley finally had QPR on the back foot in the opening seconds after the break when Campbell-Ryce ran at the heart of the home side only to see his shot cannon away for a corner. Martin Devaney's corner was headed over the bar by Hassell.

For all Barnsley's bright play at the start of the second half, it was Martin Rowlands who could have put Rangers further in front as he led the Reds defence on a merry dance by beating five players including Muller but Stephen Foster was in the right place to kick the ball clear off the line.
Barnsley finally brought a save from Lee Camp on 53 minutes as Campbell-Ryce got in down the right and lashed the ball goalward from a tight angle but the Rangers keeper managed to parry his effort away.
The Reds had another massive let off on 55 minutes as Blackstock raced clear and looked odds on to score but for Foster's outstanding last-gasp challenge. Muller was well beaten on 57 minutes when Matt Connolly chipped the ball goalward from 30 yards but his effort dropped a foot or so over the bar. Rangers got in again a minute later when Blackstock raced through a massive hole in the Reds defence but saw his shot well parried away by Muller.
At the other end Istvan Ferenczi managed to bring a fine save from Camp on 58 minutes after letting fly from 18 yards but the linesmans' flag was already raised.
Odejayi wasted a golden chance to pull one back on 70 minutes as he attacked Rohan Ricketts' fizzing cross inside the six yard box but blazed over with the goal gaping.
Rowlands was a foot away from a third on 76 minutes after the Reds stood back and watched the midfielder shoot from Buzsaky's corner.
Campbell-Ryce then had Camp worried on 83 minutes as he let fly from 18 yards but his shot flew just wide. Rowlands did the same at the other end in stoppage time as he fired over from 18 yards.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS: Camp, Delaney, Stewart (Lee 84), Blackstock (Ephraim 88), Buzsaky, Rowlands, Connolly, Agyemang, Vine, Hall (Mancienne 79), Leigertwood.
Subs: Crowther, Balanta. Barnsley