QPR 2 Middlesbrough 0: Penalty culprit Gibson backed by Mowbray as problems increase

Joey Barton put Queens Park Rangers ahead after only four minutes, firing through a crowded penalty area after Boro had failed to deal with Danny Simpson’s right-wing cross.

Striker Charlie Austin doubled the lead 10 minutes before the break, slotting home from the penalty spot after Gary O’Neil’s shot had been handled by Ben Gibson.

Without the suspended Rhys Williams, Mowbray gave 20-year-old Gibson a full league debut for the club and was forced to replace Jonathan Woodgate at half-time.

Mowbray said: “I thought Gibson gave one of our best performances. For a young boy he’s got a voice and an understanding of defending.

“But the suspension of Williams left us short and Jon Woodgate has not been 100 per cent.

“To go out and be a goal down after three or four minutes, especially against a team who haven’t been conceding goals, left us with a tough task.

“I’m sure that gave QPR a lot of belief and to give them such an early start was frustrating. There was a slight improvement in the second half but it wasn’t enough.

“That’s the fourth penalty in three games we’ve conceded. You’ve got to give yourself a chance to win so to give the opposition chances like that is frustrating. We have to strive to be better and improve. We came here full of expectation that we could get something, but we didn’t and we didn’t deserve to.”

QPR assistant manager Kevin Bond described the leaders’ victory as their best display of the season.

“We got the ball down and played, controlled the game and kept possession. It was our best display by a mile.

“We’ve been getting the results but we perhaps haven’t been as convincing as we’d have liked.

“Joey Barton was excellent, Niko Kranjcar came into the side and is a real footballer – but there were others and they were all very good.”

Rangers remain unbeaten in the league and their seventh consecutive clean sheet equalled a club record.

“It’s hugely important for a side that comes down not to suffer any kind of hangover. If you don’t get off to a good start then it can be difficult,” added Bond.

Queens Park Rangers: Green, Simpson, Dunne, Hill (Ehmer 78), Assou-Ekotto, O’Neil, Barton, Faurlin (Henry 79), Kranjcar (Hoilett 83), Carroll, Austin. Unused substitutes: Chevanton, Traore, Jenas, Murphy.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Richardson, Woodgate (Parnaby 46), Gibson, Friend, Butterfield (Smallwood 67), Leadbitter, Varga (Jutkiewicz 46), Whitehead, Adomah, Kamara. Unused substitutes: Hoyte, Andrew Halliday, Carayol, Leutwiler.

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Man of the match: Joey Barton.