QUEENS Park Rangers used the ropes to avoid a knock-out blow as they held big-punching Burnley to a 0-0 draw at Turf Moor on Saturday.
The Clarets had three-quarters of the possession and 22 efforts on goal as home boss Scott Parker said that game was like a “boxing match” destined to end in the later rounds.
Marti Cifuentes’ side, however, limited Burnley to just four of those attempts on target to claim their first clean sheet of the campaign in their fifteenth game in all competitions.
Connor Roberts hit the woodwork, before on-loan Millwall forward Zian Flemming and Josh Laurent also went close to making a breakthrough.
QPR had two attempts on goal but none on target as Paul Smyth clipped the bar early on.
Goalkeeper Paul Nardi and centre-backs Steve Cook and Jake Clarke-Salter led an outstanding rearguard action as the visitors also survived sixteen corners.
QPR are 23rd, three points from safety, while Burnley are second, five points behind Sunderland.
“It’s a very important point for us because of the situation and the last 48 hours have been really challenging as well, because we lost four important players,” Cifuentes said.
“Sometimes when you’re in that sort of position in the table, it feels like everything is happening against you. In the circumstances I’m really pleased about the way the guys worked and fought for the badge and for the club.
“Burnley have just come from the Premier League, obviously they have a lot of quality and individual talent. We understood it was very important to be patient and find our moments in the game.
“I’m pleased about the clean sheet because it was our first one. It was very important not to concede.”
Parker said: “Today was a boxing match that was always probably going to end in the tenth or eleventh round and it didn’t materialise for us.
“We jabbed and jabbed away and we beat them up and they’ve come out the ring with scars and bruises along the way and they’ve managed to hold on in there.
“We’ve knocked on the door for the whole 96 minutes and reduced them to practically nothing. The game was played on probably half the pitch today.
“We just fell a bit short. There are parts where we can be better – 22 shots and only four on target – but we’ll keep moving and progressing.”
QPR host Sunderland on Saturday.
