By Ben Kosky QPR striker Jamie Mackie has promised the players will not be carried away by the euphoria of thrashing Barnsley on the opening day. Mackie netted on his debut as Rangers swept away the Yorkshire side 4-0 to record their best start to a seaso

By Ben Kosky

QPR striker Jamie Mackie has promised the players will not be carried away by the euphoria of thrashing Barnsley on the opening day.

Mackie netted on his debut as Rangers swept away the Yorkshire side 4-0 to record their best start to a season since the Division Two promotion campaign seven years ago.

But the former Plymouth frontman told the Times: "It's another day, another game. We're not going to win 4-0 every week, the Championship isn't that sort of league.

"This is a great start and we couldn't have wished for any more - now we've got to think about the next game and be professional. It's all about building a run of wins rather than just one.

"There's exceptional ability in this side and we can achieve big things this year, but it's going to be a long hard season and there are going to be ebbs and flows.

"We rode our luck sometimes against Barnsley, but we stayed tight and played some really good stuff. We also scored goals at the right times, which is really important in this league, and that gave us more confidence."

Mackie's 53rd-minute strike, when he pounced on a Stephen Foster mistake to grab Rangers' second goal from close range, came at a stage when Barnsley had been threatening a comeback.

Heidar Helguson's penalty, following a dubious foul against Adel Taarabt, had broken the deadlock in the 41st minute, but Jason Shackell and Adam Hamill then hit the woodwork either side of half-time.

The Tykes were fuming when referee Jason Linington waved away their penalty appeals after Fitz Hall appeared to handle Foster's flick-on - and Mackie's goal soon afterwards appeared to be the final straw in terms of their resistance.

Nathan Doyle's foul on Helguson, following another defensive blunder, gave Taarabt the opportunity to mark his return to Loftus Road on a permanent basis by blasting home Rangers' second spot-kick.

From then on, it was just a question of how much more punishment the rampant Rs could inflict on Barnsley and Taarabt went close again before his superb cross set up Helguson for a sitter that the Icelandic striker squandered.

Barnsley goalkeeper Luke Steele did well to keep out a sliced clearance from his own team-mate Jay McEveley and, in the event, there was just one further goal - Hall sliding in to convert Hogan Ephraim's cross nine minutes from time.

The hapless McEveley was fortunate not to be sent off in the closing stages for a foul on Mackie, who somehow continued to charge halfway down the pitch until he was finally wrestled to the ground.

The striker's willingness to keep chasing and out defenders under pressure has already helped endear him to the Loftus Road crowd and he added: "The manager knew what he was going to get when he bought me - I give 110 per cent every game.

"I won't be changing that, hopefully just adding bits to my game. Obviously it was really good for me to get off the mark as well and I'm delighted to be here.