By Chris Whyatt BBC Sport

Joyous Queens Park Rangers earned their first Premier League win since 1996 as Tommy Smith punished wasteful Everton.

In their first match under new owner Tony Fernandes, the visitors led on 31 minutes when Smith curled in low after Phil Jagielka had lost possession.

Leighton Baines had earlier hit the crossbar with a free-kick.

Tim Cahill headed the best chance wide from three yards out as cash-strapped Everton fell to a first home league defeat of 2011.

Despite the financial pressures on them, long-serving Toffees boss David Moyes insists  he can keep hold of his most established players.

'Amazing result' for Warnock

But 17-year-old Ross Barkley started, and shone, in midfield while playmaker Mikel Arteta and Maroune Felliani sat on the bench.

Playing their first match of the season after the scheduled opener at Tottenham was postponed because of the recent riots, Everton began with enterprising purpose.

Jermaine Beckford, spearheading the attack on his own, could not connect with a scissors kick while Cahill - bravely diving low - was inches away from putting his head on a wicked Baines delivery.

Following inventive jinking work from Barkley, Baines then curled an almost perfect free-kick over the wall, but his effort crashed down off the bar.

As Shaun Derry battled hard for the visitors, QPR - who had been hit by a virus in the camp - snatched the lead.

Jagielka gave the ball away uncharacteristically, allowing Akos Buzsaky to feeding a pass to Smith in the box, and the 31-year-old took a touch and spun to curl the ball instinctively beyond Tim Howard into the bottom corner.

Sliding Jagielka was a second too late to atone for his error.

Unmarked, Cahill missed Everton's best chance - a virtual open net - after Beckford had swung over a threatening cross to the back post.

Rangers were caught dozing seconds after the break but Jack Rodwell lifted a weak shot into Kenny's hands when the clear chance demanding a powerful, low strike.

Everton lacked quality - Moyes

Arteta replaced him soon after, just before striker Patrick Agyemang was stretchered off with a leg injury, and Everton predictably pressed with increasing desperation.

But, typifying the work ethic, Derry made a superb sliding block on Osman after he shaped to shoot following a surging run.

Fellaini came on and immediately set up Cahill but he dithered too long and his shot, from too wide an angle, was easily batted away.

Everton manager David Moyes:

"Ross [Barkley] should be proud of the way he played today, the way he took responsibility on the ball. He was terrific. He was the one who looked likeliest to craft a chance today.

"Probably not with the way we played, but I don't think we deserved to lose it either. When we created we didn't take the chances we had. You always felt a sense of anxiety that we were chasing the game. We just didn't have the quality on the right areas to make the difference. You need the players to help you finish your good moves off.

"I don't think I can do anything in the transfer window. I'm definitely short of forwards and wide players. But we were last year as well.

QPR manager Neil Warnock:

"It's an amazing result. Yesterday we lost three players with a virus. One of them, DJ Campbell, collapsed. But everybody played as a team.

"I felt we deserved it in the end. We've just got to get on with it after last week. It's a fabulous league, I love it. We've got to enjoy it.

"I've never been busier. We're going to try to bring four or five players in who can help us. I'm really looking forward to it, to really competing. I'd be very surprised if I don't get the players in."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Everton

  • 24 Howard
  • 03 Baines
  • 05 Heitinga (Saha - 74' )
  • 06 Jagielka
  • 15 Distin
  • 18 Neville
  • 17 Cahill
  • 20 Barkley
  • 21 Osman Booked
  • 26 Rodwell (Arteta - 54' )
  • 16 Beckford (Fellaini - 63' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Mucha
  • 02 Hibbert
  • 10 Arteta
  • 25 Fellaini
  • 08 Saha
  • 27 Vellios
  • 28 Anichebe

QPR

  • 01 Kenny
  • 02 Orr
  • 05 Hall Booked
  • 06 Gabbidon
  • 16 Connolly
  • 04 Derry
  • 07 Taarabt
  • 11 Faurlin
  • 14 Buzsaky
  • 19 Agyemang (Bothroyd - 55' )
  • 21 Smith (Ephraim - 66' )

Substitutes

  • 26 Murphy
  • 13 Gorkss
  • 15 Perone
  • 23 Moen
  • 25 Ephraim
  • 36 Andrade
  • 10 Bothroyd
Ref: Friend
Att: 35,008

Match Stats

Shots

14 4

On target

7 3

Corners

2 1

Fouls

12 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:29 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +3:54

Unfair challenge on Phil Jagielka by Akos Buzsaky results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Phil Jagielka.

90:00 +2:27

Adel Taarabt challenges Phil Neville unfairly and gives away a free kick. Leighton Baines delivers the ball, Marouane Fellaini takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.

90:00 +1:45

The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

85:45

Foul by Marouane Fellaini on Adel Taarabt, free kick awarded. Adel Taarabt takes the direct free kick.

84:39

Adel Taarabt decides to take a short corner.

83:49

Ross Barkley concedes a free kick for a foul on Alejandro Faurlin. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.

82:20

Ross Barkley takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Save by Patrick Kenny.

80:24

Free kick taken by Fitz Hall.

80:24 Booking

Booking The referee cautions Leon Osman for unsporting behaviour.

80:15

Hogan Ephraim fouled by Leon Osman, the ref awards a free kick.

73:41

Outswinging corner taken by Mikel Arteta, clearance by Fitz Hall.

73:01 Substitution

Substitution Louis Saha on for Johnny Heitinga.

72:45

Shot from just outside the penalty box by Ross Barkley misses to the left of the target.

69:24

Tim Cahill is ruled offside. Patrick Kenny takes the indirect free kick.

67:55

Daniel Gabbidon challenges Ross Barkley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Mikel Arteta fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick.

66:19

The referee blows for offside against Tim Cahill. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.

65:13 Substitution

Substitution Hogan Ephraim replaces Tommy Smith.

64:55

Ross Barkley has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.

64:05

Corner taken by Ross Barkley from the right by-line to the near post, clearance made by Alejandro Faurlin.

63:57

Tim Cahill has a drilled shot. Patrick Kenny makes a save.

62:43

Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

62:43 Substitution

Substitution Marouane Fellaini on for Jermaine Beckford.

62:43

Free kick awarded for a foul by Leighton Baines on Alejandro Faurlin.

59:24

Effort on goal by Leon Osman from 25 yards. Blocked by Shaun Derry.

57:45

Johnny Heitinga produces a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area and misses left.

53:25

Phil Jagielka restarts play with the free kick.

53:25 Substitution

Substitution Patrick Agyemang leaves the field to be replaced by Jay Bothroyd.

53:25 Substitution

Substitution Mikel Arteta is brought on as a substitute for Jack Rodwell.

53:25

Unfair challenge on Johnny Heitinga by Akos Buzsaky results in a free kick.

51:04

Effort from 20 yards by Akos Buzsaky. Blocked by Leighton Baines.

50:12

Unfair challenge on Adel Taarabt by Tim Cahill results in a free kick. Daniel Gabbidon takes the direct free kick.

49:36

Akos Buzsaky challenges Leon Osman unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Leon Osman.

46:48

Unfair challenge on Adel Taarabt by Phil Neville results in a free kick. Matthew Connolly takes the free kick.

46:08

Jack Rodwell takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:00 +1:02 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to end the first period.

43:09

Tim Cahill has a header from close range and clears the crossbar.

42:20

Jermaine Beckford takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.

41:43

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ross Barkley by Bradley Orr. Leighton Baines takes the direct free kick.

40:30

Unfair challenge on Patrick Agyemang by Phil Neville results in a free kick. Adel Taarabt crosses the ball in from the free kick, Leon Osman makes a clearance.

39:07

Close range header by Tim Cahill goes wide of the left-hand upright.

38:03 Booking

Booking Fitz Hall shown a yellow card.

38:03

Fitz Hall gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tim Cahill. Leighton Baines crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from left wing.

35:17

The official flags Tommy Smith offside. Sylvain Distin restarts play with the free kick.

30:32

Assist by Akos Buzsaky.

30:32 Goal scored

Goal - Tommy Smith - Everton 0 - 1 QPR Goal scored by Tommy Smith from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Everton 0-1 QPR.

27:52

Adel Taarabt has a drilled shot. Sylvain Distin gets a block in.

26:02

Shot from long range by Ross Barkley misses to the right of the goal.

25:16

Patrick Agyemang challenges Phil Neville unfairly and gives away a free kick. Phil Neville takes the direct free kick.

21:58

Jermaine Beckford concedes a free kick for a foul on Fitz Hall. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

20:24

Ross Barkley fouled by Matthew Connolly, the ref awards a free kick. Shot comes in from Leighton Baines from the free kick,

17:47

Phil Jagielka challenges Adel Taarabt unfairly and gives away a free kick. Adel Taarabt crosses the ball in from the free kick.

11:33

Tim Cahill gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaun Derry. Patrick Kenny takes the direct free kick.

4:11

Tim Cahill gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Daniel Gabbidon. Patrick Kenny takes the direct free kick.

3:27

Tommy Smith produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.

1:08

Tim Cahill concedes a free kick for a foul on Alejandro Faurlin. Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

0:00

The match has kicked off.

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