Nothing To Fear On That Display

If that is the standard that Barnsley have to reach in order to emulate runaway league leaders Queens Park Rangers and reach the Premier League, then they don't have very far to go at all.

On another day the Reds could have taken all three points at Oakwell, but in the end it wasn't to be as Neil Warnock's side hung on for the win to all but seal promotion to the Premier League.

Adel Taarabt's first minute goal was enough to grab all three points for the Hoops but it was their only effort on target all night, whereas the Reds smashed 13 shots at Paddy Kenny's goal with one smacking the post and five finding the target but not a single one finding the back of the net.

Taarabt might have been lucky to stay on the field early on after appearing to swing a kick at Barnsley's Matt Hill. The referee deemed a yellow card punishment enough for the Spurs loanee.

Barnsley looked the better side for large parts of the game, with the Reds finding it easy enough to keep the ball but difficult to create clear cut chances.

QPR's game plan as soon as the goal went in appeared to be to sit on the lead. They were content enough in only trying to catch Barnsley on the break but it was rarely an opportunity as the Reds dealt with everything the Hoops could muster aside from the shock strike inside the first minute.

If the Reds can invest in shrewd loan signings once more next year and find some consistency in the league, they should have no trouble at all in reaching the upper echelons of the Championship.

I'm sticking my neck out here and it's not out of bitterness, because we had nothing to play for before the game even kicked off, but without Taarabt, Queens Park Rangers will struggle in the Premiership.

Having said that, and again aside from the goal, Barnsley dealt extremely well with the Moroccan, with most of his attempts at trickery bamboozling only himself.

I'd also like to single out Andy Gray in particular, whose hold up play was once again excellent, bringing the dangerous midfielders Butterfield and Mellis into play time and time again.

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