Burnley manager Scott Parker likened a frustrating 0-0 draw against QPR to a boxing match which his team dominated without finding a knockout punch.
The Clarets were held to a stalemate by the west London outfit which saw them lose further ground on leaders Sunderland despite staying in second place.
Parker admitted he was “frustrated” at not taking all three points from a match which he insisted was one of their best performances of the season.
“Frustrated? Yes. Real frustration. They came with a gameplan which was to survive. It was a boxing match really and it was always going to go on to the 10th round or the 11th,” he said.
“You jab your way and jab your way and beat a team up and go to the head and hope you knock them out late on and it just didn’t materialise for us today.
“I understand the frustrations of not getting the job done or not converting the chances but sometimes that is the way it is. That’s football.
“That was probably one of our best performances. It was a half-pitch game today and we closed the door on absolutely everything and you are playing against a team who have packed the box. It was difficult.
“Some of these players have not played in a game like that in terms of a dominant team having to break down a low, low block. We need to be cute and clever and work movements. We need to be able to play in tight places and work your moments and overloads.
“We were a little bit short on that but we will carry on moving and progressing.”
This was a match Burnley dominated from start to finish, carving out 22 shots to the visitors’ two. But for all their possession and some neat patterns of football to take them to the edge of the box, converting promise into goals proved beyond them.
Bashir Humphreys probably had the best chance in the first period, his free header on 16 minutes from Jaidon Anthony’s corner fired over the bar.
Connor Roberts twice went close, looking sure to score on the half-hour mark only for Steve Cook to produce a brilliant saving tackle and then early in the second half hitting the bar from 20 yards.
QPR produced very little by way of goal threat with Paul Smyth’s crossbar rattler after eight minutes their only chance of note.
QPR manager Marti Cifuentes said he would have preferred a more expansive performance but said: “I am happy because of the work ethic that they showed and the togetherness in the pitch to work for each other. And because they play against a very good team who definitely pushed us.
“We like to be higher on the pitch and more in possession but it was according to the situation that we went through in the last couple of days with four players out, two in the last 48 hours and two more in the last night.
“Extremely important point for us and a clean sheet which is something that made us very strong this season. It was a big challenge but we managed to survive against a very good team.”
Mikel Arteta hailed a “beautiful moment” after Bukayo Saka marked his return from more than three months out injured with a goal in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham.The England forward, who had not played since December 21, came off the bench in the 65th minute to a deafening ovation and soon after took the roof off the Emirates Stadium when he headed Gabriel Martinelli’s flic...
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira was “emotional and very proud” of his side after they moved 12 points clear of the Premier League’s relegation zone with a 1-0 win over West Ham at Molineux.Jorgen Strand Larsen’s deflected strike in the 21st minute settled the contest against Graham Potter’s Hammers.Pereira has taken the club from five points adrift of survival to the brink ...
Nuno Espirito Santo was “over the moon” after Nottingham Forest dug deep to beat Manchester United thanks to Anthony Elanga’s wonder goal and Murillo’s crucial last-gasp clearance.A season to cherish at the City Ground continued on Tuesday night as the Premier League’s surprise package strengthened their grip on third spot, fresh from reaching a first FA Cup semi-fina...
Walsall manager Mat Sadler hailed the ‘heart and desire’ of his side as they rescued a late point in a 2-2 draw at promotion rivals Doncaster to remain top of League Two.Danny Johnson’s 90th-minute header saw the Saddlers peg Doncaster back for a second time to earn the draw at the Eco-Power Stadium.Luke Molyneux put Rovers ahead only for Taylor Allen to draw Walsall level almost...
Steven Schumacher admitted Bolton’s first derby victory over League One rivals Wigan in more than a decade had been a long time coming.Chris Forino prodded the ball home from close range after Wigan failed to clear a corner in the third minute of added time to secure Wanderers’ first win over the Latics since January 2015.The goal sparked scenes of euphoria in the away end and led to u...
Simon Weaver was left to reflect on a “brilliant night” for his Harrogate side after they clung on for a crucial 3-2 victory over fellow Sky Bet League Two strugglers Tranmere.However, things could have ended differently had Josh Hawkes converted a stoppage-time penalty for the visitors, who refused to give up despite twice finding themselves two goals down.Predatory close-range finish...
Exeter manager Gary Caldwell was delighted with his side’s character in their 2-1 win at Barnsley.Josh Magennis scored a late winner to help the Grecians move up to 15th in Sky Bet League One. An early goal from Ryan Trevitt had given them the lead but Stephen Humphrys levelled in the second half before Magennis secured all three points for the visitors.Caldwell said: “The players defe...
Birmingham manager Chris Davies hailed his side for “winning ugly” following the runaway League One leaders’ hard-fought 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.Davies had top-scorer Jay Stansfield’s 85th-minute penalty to thank for their club-record 37th victory of the season after Blues were pushed all the way by lowly Rovers.Keshi An...
Darren Ferguson praised Peterborough’s desire and determination to win after a dramatic stoppage-time penalty from Ricky-Jade Jones gave them a hard-fought 4-3 victory at relegation-threatened Crawley.Boss Ferguson admitted it was a case of “leaving absolutely everything on the pitch” after Posh were pegged back following a first-half hat-trick in the space of 21 minutes from Abr...
Chesterfield assistant manager Danny Webb insisted results are everything after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Carlisle, who were reduced to 10 men in the first half.Goals from Liam Mandeville in the 74th minute and Paddy Madden in the 82nd put the hosts in control before Joe Hugill pulled one back late on for Carlisle, which proved to be a mere consolation.The visitors had first-half ...
- 1 Hot WAG flaunts 'astonishing' washboard abs in bikini
- 2 Danny Rohl hails Sheffield Wednesday resilience in draw at Cardiff
- 3 Alfie May double sends Birmingham step closer to Championship
- 4 Ryan Lowe and Conor Hourihane felt team deserved more as Wigan and Barnsley draw
- 5 Mat Sadler hails Taylor Allen set-piece skills after Walsall snatch draw
- 6 Chris Davies says Alfie May’s goal drought never concerned him
- 7 Football fan 'eats' raw pig's head in ultimate insult
- 8 Marcus Rashford still looking to improve after firing Villa into FA Cup semis
- 9 Chelsea prepare €70m for Barcelona defender
- 10 Liam Delap warned to pick next club carefully