Barton content as Hoops hold Geordies

BEFORE the game at Loftus Road last night, Joey Barton was the main talking point for QPR and Newcastle fans.

Afterwards it was how QPR failed to find a goal.

A new-look QPR side, captained by debutant Joey Barton, failed to convert a host of chances as they were made to settle for a goalless draw.

QPR dominated the first half and would have been 2-0 up had it not been for goal-line clearances from Steven Taylor and Danny Simpson, who denied Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jay Bothroyd respectively.

Wright-Phillips was the most impressive of the Hoops’ six new players but he failed to connect with a gilt-edged chance in the second half when free in the box, and Neil Warnock’s men were only able to take a point despite their dominance.

Barton, who skippered Rangers last night, took a lot of positives out of his team’s performance.

“A clean sheet in football is different class, especially considering we had six new players on the pitch,” he said.

“We should probably have won the game, but if we keep playing like that we’ll win games. We’ve only been together a few days but good players don’t take that long to bond and we’ll only get better.”

Wright-Phillips added: “I think at times we were just inches and yards away from scoring, but we have to look at the positives.

“It’s the first game we’ve played together and we did really well, and defended superbly.

“As long as we keep playing like that, the better we get to know each other, I think we’ll get goals in the games to come.”

Neil Warnock was pleased with the performance. “I’m delighted not only with the point, but with the way we played,” he said.

“It’s difficult when you get five or six players in 10 days and we’ve had four days’ training, so to see them perform like that was fantastic.”

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was also content with a point, but is hoping to see more from his forwards as the season progresses.

“The result was good because it’s a difficult place to come,” he said.

“They were the better team, we didn’t play as well as we’d have liked, so for us we got a point and another clean sheet and we’ve got to be pleased.

“That’s three clean sheets now and that takes some doing in the Premier League. But as an attacking side there can be improvements.”

QPR: Kenny, Young, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Traore (Connolly 51), Barton, Derry, Faurlin, Wright-Phillips (Puncheon 88), Bothroyd (Campbell 80),Taarabt.

NEWCASTLE: Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, R Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).