Barton upbeat after low-key debut

QPR midfielder Joey Barton took positives out of his team’s performance despite failing to capitalise on their dominance in a Barclays Premier League stalemate with Newcastle last night.

A new-look QPR side, captained by debutant Barton, failed to convert a host of chances at Loftus Road and would have been 2-0 up in the first half 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 Londoners’ 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.

Yet Barton believes the players can be happy with what they produced. “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: “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.”

QPR: Kenny, Young, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Traore (Connolly 51), Barton, Derry, Faurlin, Wright-Phillips (Puncheon 88), Bothroyd (Campbell 80), Taarabt. Subs not used: Murphy, Hall, Buzsaky, Smith.

Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, R Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64). Subs not used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffs).

Attendance: 16,211