sport

DOWIE SHRUGS OFF RIFT REPORTS

Rangers celebrates Hall's equaliser.

QPR boss Iain Dowie shrugged off speculation about his future following his team's 2-1 victory at home to Barnsley on the opening day of the Coca-Cola Championship season.

Fitz Hall scored twice and then missed a penalty as Rangers came from behind to beat the Tykes, who had Marciano van Homoet sent off.

But Dowie remains under pressure with Rangers among the favourites for promotion and his position is reported to be under threat following a disagreement with the club's co-owner Flavio Briatore.

"People will make mischief," said Dowie.

"It always surprises me when people don't want to be positive and instead write negative stories. I'm a positive person.

"We have high-profile owners here and the tag of favourites is going to stay. But we have to embrace that and tackle it head-on."

Dowie's side went behind after five minutes when Barnsley's £1.2million summer signing Iain Hume collected Brian Howard's pass and slotted past goalkeeper Radek Cerny.

Rangers were struggling before two goals from Hall in as many minutes.

First, goalkeeper Luke Steele parried Emmanuel Ledesma's free-kick into Hall's path and he bundled the ball home after his first effort came back off the bar.

Then, after Barnsley failed to clear a Lee Cook corner, the ball dropped to Hall near the edge of the area and he brilliantly hooked it back over his shoulder and into the far corner of the net.

But Hall was denied a hat-trick when Steele saved his 57th-minute spot-kick after Darren Moore tripped Dexter Blackstock.

Barnsley played the last seven minutes with 10 men after Van Homoet was red-carded for a crude challenge on QPR's on-loan Real Madrid midfielder Dani Parejo.

"Barnsley played well and defensively we were too open. We were a little bit too gung-ho," Dowie admitted.

"But in the end we got a win out of a potentially difficult situation. It says a lot about the character of the team.

"We got the job done without being great - I'm not going to pretend otherwise. It's a result we're delighted with, without getting carried away.

"It's a small step on a long road for us. It's the first rung on a 46-rung ladder."

Barnsley boss Simon Davey insisted his team were unlucky to lose and remain on course to enjoy an improved season.

He said: "We had a fantastic start. Iain Hume finished well and we could maybe have scored one or two more.

"In the second half there was only one team in it. We took the game to them. QPR have spent a lot of money and I felt we not only had the lion's share, we were actually the better side.

"I'm disappointed with the result but in terms of the performance, there were good things to come out of it and we'll take that and move on.

"We're a stronger squad than we were last season and we will be a better team."

Davey added: "There's always pressure when you sign a striker for over £1million and there's pressure on Iain Hume, so it was good to see him score."