QPR Draw at Barnsley - Reports and Comments

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QPR drew 0-0 tonight at Barnsley. QPR now have 41 points with 12 games remaining. (Unfortunately a couple of other teams results went the "wrong" way) - Table.

QPR OFFICIAL SITE - DE Canio Comments - SATISFIED
Luigi De Canio declared himself "satisfied" with a point after seeing his Rangers side draw 0-0 with Barnsley at Oakwell on Tuesday night.
Simon Davey's men have only been beaten twice in the league at home all season, and De Canio said afterwards: "I was satisfied with my players.
"It was a difficult match, and we have to accept the outcome.
"Neither side managed to make their chances count, although I feel we probably had the better opportunities.
"Barnsley had some chances on the break. They seemed to play a counter-attacking style, and in some ways looked more like the away team than the home team.
"For large parts of the game we commanded the play."
The hosts had a penalty appeal turned down in the latter stages, but De Canio believed it would have been very harsh on the R's if Mr Ilderton had awarded a spot-kick following Fitz Hall's last-gasp challenge to deny Jon Macken.
"If you're going to award penalties for that sort of challenge, you'd see three a game," he said. "I saw my player definitely win the ball." QPR

Barnsley Official Site POST MATCH COMMENTS FROM OAKWELL
REDS boss Simon Davey gave his thoughts following tonight's draw at Oakwell.
Simon said: "It was a difficult one. We had some difficult conditions out there but we had enough chances to win it.
"We had three clear chances in the first half and could have had two penalties in the second, one for handball and one when Jon Macken was taken down. When you look at it that way I guess we are disappointed not to get all three points.
"We did not get the goal but at the end of the day it is another point".


QPR Official Site - Barnsley 0 QPR 0
Rangers ground out a plucky point against home specialists Barnsley, on a night when skill and style had to make way for passion and determination at a wind-swept Oakwell.

Neither side did enough to warrant maximum points, as both Clubs remained deadlocked on 41 points in the Championship table.

Skipper Martin Rowlands did his best to haul Rangers to victory, but the all-important breakthrough goal failed to materialise.

Luigi De Canio made two changes for the trip to Oakwell.

Hogan Ephraim and Rowan Vine made way from the side that drew 1-1 with Sheffield United on Saturday, with Akos Buzsaky and Dexter Blackstock returning to the starting XI.

Danny Nardiello missed out for the Tykes under the terms of his loan switch from W12, which meant Jon Macken returned to the Barnsley front line.

In all, Simon Davey made four changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Norwich City at the weekend.

Former R's loanee Rohan Ricketts received a late call up to the Tykes bench, with Michael Coulson stuck in traffic.

Rangers started on the front foot, forcing two corners in the opening minute; the second of which was poked on target by Blackstock.

At the other end, Lee Camp had to be at his agile best to save Brian Howard's 12-yard drive, after the Tykes midfielder coasted through unchallenged.

Disaster almost struck three minutes later though, when the R's number one dropped a clanger on the edge of his 18-yard box. Istvan Ferenczi reacted quickest to pick up the resultant loose ball, only to hesitate and allow Fitz Hall enough time to produce a crucial goal-saving tackle.

Play soon switched to the other end, with Blackstock firing over from 25-yards, before Mikele Leigertwood volleyed over from a similar distance just seconds later.

Macken was proving a constant threat and when he was played in by Howard in the 17th minute, Matthew Connolly timed his challenge to perfection to divert the ball to safety.

After a period of total inactivity, Barnsley should have taken the lead on the half hour.

Howard's searching pass found Jamal Campbell-Ryce on the left flank and when his far post cross evaded the entire QPR back four, Ferenczi inexplicably headed against the post from six-yards out, when it appeared easier to score.

Angelo Balanta was presented with a rare half chance to put Rangers in front right at the end of first half, but he was denied by Luke Steele, as the Tykes goalkeeper raced off his line to save at the youngster's feet.

Rangers began the second half in the ascendancy, with skipper Rowlands leading by example. The R's midfielder picked up possession just inside the Barnsley half and raced fully 20 yards before unleashing a dipping shot, which Steele found too hot to handle. Blackstock was first to the rebound, but his left footed drive flew over.

Balanta was the next R's player to ask questions of the now over-worked Barnsley back four, but when he skipped past Steele, his shot - from an acute angle - was hacked off the line by Lewin Nyatanga.

Rowlands fired another opportune effort on target in the 48th minute, as the R's - after a drab first period - set their stall out early in the second half.

The R's skipper was leading the assault almost single handedly by now, as he skipped past three would-be challenges with ease, before firing an enticing ball across the six-yard box, which the onrushing Agyemang just failed to connect with

Davey replaced the ineffective Ferenczi with Kayode Odejayi on the hour, before De Canio introduced Ephraim at the expense of the tiring Balanta.

Macken stung the palms of Camp as the ball kicked up off Connolly's right knee, before the R's keeper dived full stretch to his right to expertly tip substitute Diego Leon's arcing free-kick round the post.

Leon went close again in the 75th minute; this time firing inches wide of the right upright, with Camp seemingly beaten.

Vine's introduction 12 minutes from time breathed fresh hope in to the visitors, but despite his best efforts, the R's were forced to settle for a share of the spoils for the second match in a row.

Barnsley: Steele, Hassell, Souza, Howard, Ferenczi (Odejayi 60), Campbell-Ryce, Nyatanga, Van Homet, Devaney (Leon 68), Macken, Foster.

Subs: Ricketts, Togwell, Potter.

Scorers:

Bookings:

Red Cards:

QPR: Camp, Delaney, Mancienne, Blackstock (Vine 78), Buzsaky (Stewart 94), Rowlands, Connolly, Agyemang, Hall, Leigertwood, Balanta (Ephraim 63).
Subs: Pickens, Lee.
Scorers:
Bookings: Hall 76, Delaney 81
Red Cards:
Referee: Mr E Ilderton
Attendance: 9, 019 QPR

BARNSLEY OFFICIAL SITE
BARNSLEY threw everything they had at QPR but just could not find a breakthrough as the wasted chance after chance to bury a Rangers side more than happy with a point from tonight's encounter at Oakwell.

Reds boss Simon Davey made four changes following the defeat by Norwich with Jon Macken, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Marciano Van Homoet and Lewin Nyatanga all coming into the side. Daniel Nardiello, Diego Leon, Rob Kozluk and Anderson de Silva missed out.

Rangers started the game strongly, backed by a gale force wind, and pegged Barnsley back with two early corners. The Reds responded well with Brian Howard finding a yard of space to let fly with just three minutes on the clock but Lee Camp was able to claw the ball to safety. Howard then swung in a dangerous corner from the left and Camp this time managed to get nowhere near the dropping ball but Fitz Hall was able to hack clear off the line under pressure.

Barnsley should have really been in front on five minutes as Camp made a horrible mess of dealing with Luke Steele's long clearance and presented Istvan Ferenczi with an open net. The big Hungarian could not believe his luck but took a needless touch which allowed Michael Mancienne the chance to clear.

QPR broke quickly seconds later and raced in on Steele's goal but Dexter Blackstock hammered the ball well over the bar when well placed on the edge of the area.

Ferenczi almost redeemed himself on 13 minutes as he cut in from the right hand side onto Bobby Hassell's pass but drove his shot over the bar from 25 yards out.

Barnsley finally carved QPR open on 18 minutes as Howard's through ball sent Macken in on Camp and the striker looked to have dragged his shot into the far corner but for Martin Rowlands' excellent late block. Seconds later Howard let fly from the edge of the area after Martin Devaney's corner had been half cleared but the midfielder lashed a difficult effort well over the top.

The Reds were in on goal yet again on 33 minutes as Howard's pass sent Campbell-Ryce galloping into acres of space down the right. The winger took his time and took Camp out of the game with a fine cross that looked to give Ferenczi an easy chance at the back post but the big Hungarian put his diving headed against the post and out of play.

A rare slip by Stephen Foster allowed Mikele Leigertwood the chance to run at Steele on 44 minutes but the young keeper was quickly out to clear the danger.

Steele was almost caught out by the wind on 48 minutes as he spilled Rowlands' bobbling shot and the ball bounced out to Blackstock but the striker blazed over under pressure from Foster. Blackstock got in again a minute later as he robbed Van Homoet and knocked the ball round Steele but Nyatanga somehow got back to block his shot on the line.

Barnsley kicked into gear on 53 minutes as Howard's cross fell nicely to Campbell-Ryce at the back post and the winger brought a smart save from Camp with his well-struck shot.

The Reds had a massive let off seconds later as Rowlands skipped past Hassell on the edge of the area before drilling a shot past Steele and across the face of goal. Dennis Souza was alert enough to block Buzsaky's follow up.

Substitute Hogan Ephraim caught out Barnsley on 64 minutes as he managed to find Buzacky in yards off space on the edge of the area but the winger fired high and wide with only Steele to beat.

QPR went close again four minutes later after Damien Delaney had skipped past Foster to cross for Blackstock to attack but this time the striker could only head over under pressure at the back post.

Macken then thought he had broken the deadlock a minute later as he fired a shot towards the bottom corner from Kayode Odejayi's flick but his shot struck Delaney and bounced through to Camp. Substitute Leon then brought an outstanding save from Camp on 70 minutes as he arrowed a free kick towards the top corner but the Rangers keeper managed to turn the ball over the bar.

Leon had the Rangers defence all over the place on 75 minutes as he turned one way and then the other before beating Camp but his shot dropped just over the crossbar.

Souza was next to try his luck as he met Leon's corner on 80 minutes but could not put his header on target under pressure from Hall. Van Homoet then flashed a shot high over on 83 minutes after break 50 yards with the ball through a retreating Hoops defence.

Referee Eddie Ilderton let Rangers defender Mancienne away with murder on 88 minutes as he decided the full back had taken the ball when he hacked through Macken from behind in the area. It looked all the world a penalty especially as the defender had gone through Macken to clear the ball but amazingly nothing was given. From Leon's corner Mancienne got away with it again as he appeared to handle Foster's shot on its path to goal.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Foster, Souza, Nyatanga, Van Homoet, Campbell-Ryce, Hassell, Howard, Devaney (Leon 68), Macken, Ferenczi (Odejayi 60).
Subs: Togwell, Ricketts, Potter.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS: Camp, Delaney, Mancienne, Blackstock (Vine 78), Buzsaky (Stewart 90), Rowlands, Connolly, Agyemang, Hall, Leigertwood, Balanta (Ephraim 62).
Subs: Pickens, Lee. Barnsley