Result: QPR go top with goalless draw against Brighton

Queens Park Rangers and Brighton & Hove Albion share the spoils in a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road, which sees the home side go top of the Championship.

Queens Park Rangers were frustrated by an organised Brighton & Hove Albion side in a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road, although the result did see the hosts go top of the Championship table.

QPR thought they had taken an early lead when Joey Barton tapped home from Shaun Wright-Phillips's cross, but the winger was adjudged to have been offside.

Nedum Onuoha was forced to leave the pitch midway through the first half with a thigh injury, with former Tottenham Hotspur full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto replacing him for the hosts.

Brighton's Matthew Upson and QPR's Charlie Austin battle for the ball during their Championship match on September 18, 2013© Getty Images

Brighton's best chance of the half came when Keith Andrews's deflected drive dropped just wide of the post.

QPR could have taken the lead through Charlie Austin, but the striker delayed his effort following good work by Gary O'Neill and Andrews recovered well to nick the ball off the forward's toes.

Austin was denied once more as half time approached when his header was pushed behind by Tomasz Kuszczak.

Richard Dunne saw his effort cleared off the line either side of two Barton free kicks that went close.

Manager Harry Redknapp introduced Jermaine Jenas in search of an equaliser, but Brighton defended well to go home with a point.

Queens Park Rangers' Joey Barton in action during the match against Sheffield Wednesday on August 3, 2013
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Half-Time Report: QPR, Brighton goalless
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Middlesbrough43268960283286
2Burnley432315567353284
3Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton432315567392884
4Hull City4222101060312976
5Derby CountyDerby432113964402476
6Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds431816961421970
7Cardiff CityCardiff431616115346764
8Ipswich TownIpswich431614134949062
9Birmingham CityBirmingham431612154945460
10Preston North EndPreston431416134242058
11Leeds UnitedLeeds431415144653-757
12Queens Park RangersQPR431317135252056
13Brentford42168186063-356
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves431314165056-653
15Reading431312184953-451
16Huddersfield TownHuddersfield431311195760-350
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn431115174043-348
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest431115173744-748
19Fulham431115176473-948
20Rotherham UnitedRotherham43139215265-1348
21Bristol City431212194868-2048
22MK Dons43912223560-2539
23Charlton AthleticCharlton43813223773-3637
RBolton WanderersBolton43415243978-3927