Rangers bottom after defeat at Newcastle

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Newcastle 1 QPR 0

Moussa Sissoko’s late strike denied QPR their first away league point of the season despite a battling defensive display.

A hard-working Rangers defence looked on course for a rare clean sheet, with Remy Cabella, Ryan Taylor, Ayoze Perez and Papiss Cisse all denied by goalkeeper Rob Green.

QPR were limited to half chances, with Tim Krul tipping away Richard Dunne’s header late in the first half, as by and large an in-form Newcastle dominated.

And they made the breakthrough with 13 minutes to play, as Sissoko linked up with Sammy Ameobi before planting a shot beyond Green.

It was harsh on Harry Redknapp’s side, who had looked resolute and assured in defence until they were undone by the best move of the match.

And Burnley’s win at Stoke meant Rangers returned to the bottom of the table.

Newcastle were on the front foot from the off and Cabella was the first to test Green, with a low shot from 15 yards that the QPR keeper fielded without alarm.

Rangers’ first flash of inspiration came from Austin, when he dispossessed Paul Dummett and then fired an angled shot across goal.

Ryan Taylor, making his first Premier League start since March 2012, almost marked his return with a goal but Green tipped his effort over the bar. Later on in the first half, the Newcastle man left the field in tears after going off with another injury.

As half-time approached, Austin shot straight at Krul while and the Dutchman had to be agile to backpedal and get something to Dunne’s looping header.

Newcastle upped the tempo after the break and Green had to be alert to deny Ayoze Perez after he had been slipped in by Sissoko.

Yun-Suk Young also produced a superb clearance to prevent Yoann Gouffran getting on to the end of Ameobi’s outstanding cross.

Bobby Zamora’s physical presence occasionally caused alarm in the Magpies’ defence, and he twice nodded wide but Newcastle made all the attacking running.

Just after substitute Cisse had forced Green into a save, Newcastle broke through. A neat exchange of passes on the edge of the box saw Ameobi thread the ball through for Sissoko, and he took a touch before burying his shot.

QPR couldn’t fashion a clear-cut chance to equalise and Cisse came close to adding to the score when he poked the ball beyond Green but Barton cleared.

QPR: Green, Onuoha, Caulker, Dunne, Yun, Barton, Henry (Hoilett 82), Sandro (Kranjcar 60), Fer, Zamora, Austin.
Subs not used: McCarthy, Traore, Phillips, Isla, Mutch.

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