Team Line Up
		1. Lee Camp
16. Matthew Connolly		29. Fitz Hall	5. Damion Stewart		2. Damien Delaney
26. Rowan Vine		14. Martin Rowlands (c)	32. Mikele Leigterwood		10. Akos Buzsacky
		17. Patrick Agyemang	9. Dexter Blackstock
Subs
Micheal Mancienne on for Fitz Hall
Kieran Lee on for Damion Stewart
Hogan Ephraim on for Dexter Blackstock
Subs Not Used
Reece Crowther
Angelo Balanta

A family ticket promotion meant that the game against Barnsley would be biggest crowd (so far) of the season at Loftus Road. QPR fans filled the lower school end and in truth there looked to be more than the official total of just over 16,000.

It was a new look QPR side with so many new signings and almost like the first day of the season trying to work out who would play where etc. De Canio had some tough choices to make and went with an attacking starting eleven. Damien Delaney made his debut at left back while there were home debuts for Fitz Hall at centre back and Matthew Connolly at right back. Mikele Leigertwood returned to midfield alongside Martin Rowlands with Buzsacky starting on the left wing and Vine on the right. Patrick Agyemang made his home debut up front alongside Dexter Blackstock.

It didn't take long though for us to break the deadlock and make for a comfortable afternoon with our first real attack. Rowan Vine got the ball on the right and played the ball into Blackstock who played Agyemang in with a nice pass and the new signing made it two goals n two starts by flicking the ball over the keeper and headed the ball into the back of the net. A great start and we looked set to go on and win the game at a canter.

That didn't really happen though and the game was quite flat with Buzsacky struggling to make much of an impact out on the wing whilst Barnsley were looking to out number us in midfield. They were creating very little though as the Rangers defence looked very solid. Delaney was beaten once for pace in the first half but overall he was very comfortable at left back doing a good job for the team whilst Fitz Hall looked very impressive alongside Stewart.

Rangers seemed happy to let Barnsley have the ball around the halfway line as they rarely looked like getting in behind us and the game became pretty dull to watch. We still had chances to add to the early goal when a typical Buzsacky corner whipped into the box and Fitz Hall headed the ball wide of the post.

Rangers were looking comfortable with Leigertwood and Rowlands controlling the ball well in midfield but there was no real link up with the strikers who became quite isolated during the first half. This is usually where Buzsacky comes into his own but with him out wide we didn't threaten as much as we might have.

Brian Howard had Barnsley first real effort on goal when his long-range shot was pushed wide by Camp. Most of the half saw Barnsley put a few passes together before giving it back to us and then we'd do the same, it was scrappy and the atmosphere was almost non existent. A second goal lifted things though just before half time and what a goal it was too.

Buzsacky played a ball into the middle for Rowlands who found Vine and the £1million signing from Birmingham went on a one-man crusade. He ran at the heart of the Barnsley defence before playing a one-two with Agyemang and then passed it to him again and continued the run into the middle where he picked up the return pass and buried his effort into the back of the net. It was Vine's first goal at Loftus Road for QPR and was a really impressive build up and finish.

At half time the game looked as good as over and the fear was that we'd sit back as we did against Colchester and make hard work of it. That never happened though and we started the second half flying and looking for more goals.

Matthew Connolly went close to his first goal for the club after a nice build up saw him receive the ball on the right, he turned and tried an audacious chip, which beat the keeper and just went wide of the far post.

Dexter Blackstock then had a good shout for a penalty turned down when he ran into the middle and was pulled down by a defender but nothing was given. Rangers were then denied the goal of the century from the man of the match.

Martin Rowlands got the ball on the left around 30 yards out after good work by Vine, he ran at the heart of the defence dribbling past one, then two then a third before breaking into the box. The crowd stood and tried to pull the ball into the net as he went round the keeper but took it just too far looking his footing, Rowlands till got a shot in which was cleared off the line. It would have been as good a goal as Roy Wegerle's at Leeds or John Byrne against Chelsea all those years ago and Rowlands received a standing ovation for his effort.

It was all Rangers and Leigertwood had a chance to make it 3-0 when his long-range effort was well saved. Barnsley had little to offer but almost got a goal back when Delaney was beaten on the left and a cross to the far post found Odejayi at the far post for a simple tap in but instead he volleyed high and wide.

The pressure continued at the other end with Rowlands again going close. This time it was a Buzsacky corner and rather than whip the ball into the box he played it to the edge of the area where Rowlands took a touch and fired a shot just wide of the post. It was good to see us try different things from corners where we look really dangerous at the moment.

Fitz Hall was forced out of the game with an injury so Michael Mancienne returned to the side for the first time since November.

Rangers had one more chance to add to the goals when a free kick was half cleared and Stewart went down looking in some pain. The game continued though and a ball into the middle by Buzsacky fell to Blackstock but he couldn't get a foot on the ball and it raced away from a goal kick.

Stewart was then carried off and hopefully his injury is not as serious as it looked as once again he was excellent at the heart of Rangers defence. Kieran Lee was brought on for his home debut at right back and the strength in depth we now have was further shown when Hogan Ephraim was brought on for Dexter Blackstock.

In the end though Rangers had to settle for a 2-0 win which moves us back up to seventeenth in the table, the highest we've been since the opening day of the season. Talk of the playoffs will continue but the fact we are six points clear of the bottom three now is far more important than how far we are off the top six.

This wasn't the best of games but it was a case of job done. I thought Rowlands was excellent and it's hard to see how he can be left out at the moment. That run in the second half would have been goal of the century, it was Roy Wegerle all over again.

Delaney had a good debut but didn't think he was man of the match I'd have given that to Rowlands. Connolly was excellent at right back and you can tell he's from Arsenal as he is so comfortable on the ball. Agyemang did ok, he's very quick and looks like Paul Furlong so that's a winner in my book. He looks a good signing for 300k and someone who will score goals for us. I thought Blackstock was poor though and missed a sitter near the end when Stewart was on the floor.

We really could and should have won that game by four or five and that bloody keep it in the corner rubbish from Vine was very frustrating in the last few minutes. It should be noted that De Canio was going mad when Vine did this so perhaps it's not one of his tactics and it seemed so unnecessary in a game that was won from the first five minutes.

The main problem yesterday was playing Buzsacky wide where he doesn't really have any effect on the game but I know many want us to play two strikers so it's a tough choice to make. Perhaps Blackstock will be left out to make way for Ephraim with Vine moving up front and Rowlands and Buzsacky swapping positions. We certainly have options now so it will be interesting to see what is done.

Rangers now have a week off with the annual blank Saturday at the end of January for some cup competition, after that we face a tough few games with Cardiff away then Bristol City at home which will be a big test for how good this side is.

Man of the Match: Martin Rowlands

Players Ratings: Camp 7, Connolly 7, Hall 7 (Mancienne 7), Stewart 7 (Lee 7), Vine 7, Buzsacky 7, Rowlands 8, Leigterwood 7, Blackstock 6 (Ephraim 6), Agyemang 7