GARETH Ainsworth reckons something special is brewing at QPR after last night’s battling scoreless draw at Birmingham.
A 0-0 draw might sound dull on paper but anyone watching the action unfold will testify it was anything but.
Sam Field made an excellent clearance off the line to prevent a Steve Cook own goal and there were also big chances for the likes of Field, Paul Smyth, Lyndon Dykes and Sinclair Armstrong to win it for the visitors.
Hoops keeper Asmir Begovic was also in fine form, particularly early in the second half when he produced vital saves to deny Krystian Bielek and the lively Jay Stansfield.
QPR now have eight points on the board and their manager was delighted with the battling display, one he is convinced shows his side are going to achieve even better things sooner rather than later.
Ainsworth told QPR TV: “We have got something going on here. It is really, really special tonight because yeah, we didn’t win – Asmir has made a couple of great saves to keep us in the game, Sam Field has cleared off the line.
“But then at the other end we have a chance with Sam where it almost ricochets off him back into the goal, Lyndon Dykes’ header, Paul Smyth’s shot where (John) Ruddy spilt it and somebody couldn’t follow up – so the chances have been quite well shared out.
“I think they probably had the lion’s share.
“They are the home team, this is Birmingham – you come here and you try and keep a clean sheet.
“We did that so that is phase one, we kept a clean sheet. Whether we could have nicked something? We tried.
“I went quite attacking putting two attacking subs on but it just wasn’t to be tonight.
“We will take a point all day away from Birmingham because I think it is a great result.”
Ainsworth also heaped praise on the QPR supporters who made the trip north on a Friday night to England’s second city when they could have just stayed home and watched on Sky Sports.
He said: “To the travelling fans – you played a part in bring that point home.
“There was a 15-minute spell in the second half where Birmingham were on top of us. There was no booing, there was no worry, you couldn’t feel any nerves coming from them, it was positive.
“And then when we had our spell, wow they were loud. It was brilliant.
“I know it is only a point we are taking down the road but savour that point because that could be a big point.
“We are going to prove a lot of people wrong this season, I keep saying it.
“In that dressing room you don’t see the hugs, the high fives, the round of applause for Ilias Chair’s 200th game. We gave a big thank you for his work rate and everything over the years.
“It is a superb performance away from home and I’m really pleased we are grabbing hold of this identity and hoping people can feel this is coming.”
