It takes a giant leap of imagination to picture Queens Park Rangers among the favourites for promotion when, for a decent period of last season, they were relegation candidates. But Flavio Briatore, the club’s Italian co-owner, is certainly dreaming of the top flight. Not since the day Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea has the weight of expectation at the start of a season been higher and, on Saturday, nowhere were the nerves more frayed or the final whistle more welcome a relief than at Loftus Road.

It was a new era for QPR, but the team began the match too stirred up by the razzmatazz of fireworks and cheerleaders, smothered by opponents with little to lose and haunted by the spectre of the millionaire and billionaire owners looking on.

By the end of a drizzly, chilly afternoon, it was clear that a talented squad will become more assured through familiarity, but time is not something Iain Dowie has. Last week’s clash with the fiery Briatore, who told the manager to leave before they patched things up the next day, is unlikely to be their only disagreement. “I’m aware of the history and about a big future - they want to achieve things,” Dowie said.

Dowie’s teams show perspiration and determination, but the inspiration came from Briatore’s contacts book that had helped to bring in two young players on loan: Emmanuel Ledesma, an Argentinian, from Genoa, and Dani Parejo, labelled as the best player produced by Real Madrid in recent years.

Yet, for all Ledesma’s quick feet and clever passes, QPR lacked composure in the final third and, perhaps, the poacher who can grab a goal out of nothing. They relied on Fitz Hall’s strike, two minutes after the defender had forced an equaliser.

The home team had endured a queasy opening during which Barnsley threatened to add to Iain Hume’s neat finish. Hall later missed a penalty and the Yorkshire side had Mar-ciano van Homoet sent off for a lunging tackle on Ledesma. “The owners seem to know everything about football - Flavio asked why I was taking the penalty,” Hall said. “He was having a joke, I think.”

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): R Cerny - P Ramage, F Hall, K Gorkss, D Delaney - E Ledesma (sub: M Alber-ti, 83min), M Leigertwood, G Mahon, L Cook - D Blackstock, P Agyemang (sub: D Parejo, 72). Substitutes not used: L Camp, M Connolly, A Balanta. Booked: Cook.

Barnsley (4-4-2): L Steele - S Foster, D Moore, D Souza, M van Homoet - M Devaney, B Hassell (sub: D Leon, 84), B Howard, M El Haimour (sub: M Rigters, 74) - I Hume, J Macken (sub: K Odejayi, 84). Substitutes not used: R Kozluk, M Mostto. Sent off: Van Homoet.

Referee: N Swarbrick. Attendance: 14,964.

Blackpool 0 Bristol City 1

Attendance 8,244

Steve Brooker, a late substitute, earned the praise of his manager after scoring Bristol City’s last-minute winner against Blackpool. Brooker replaced Dele Adebola with ten minutes remaining and his fiercely struck shot ensured that City put aside the misery of last season’s play-offs final defeat to get their new campaign off to a winning start at Bloomfield Road. “I was really pleased with the way Steve Brooker took his goal, it was a great finish,” Gary Johnson, the City manager, said. “He had a good preseason and worked hard after a series of injuries and is now looking the fittest I have ever seen him.”

Simon Grayson, the Blackpool manager, cursed his team’s injury woes. “You need strikers,” he said. “I have three who are out - that’s why I have had to use the emergency loan to bring in the lad [Sone Aluko] from Birmingham.”

Cardiff City 2 Southampton 1

Attendance19,749

A 90th-minute goal by Roger Johnson gave Cardiff City victory, but they had to thank an eagle-eyed referee’s assistant, who signalled that Kelvin Davies, the Southampton goalkeeper, had failed to keep the ball out. With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Johnson leapt to head home Stephen McPhail’s teasing free kick. Johnson grabbed the headlines, but it was Steven Thompson, the scorer of Cardiff’s first goal, who earned the praise of Dave Jones, the club’s manager. “Steve Thompson justified his selection by scoring and I am very pleased for him,” Jones said. “He worked very hard throughout and I was delighted with his performance.”

Jan Poortvliet, the Southampton manager, felt that his team deserved a draw after they equalised through David McGoldrick’s first league goal. “Both sides would have been happy with a point,” he said.

Charlton 2 Swansea 0

Attendance 21,675

Alan Pardew, the Charlton Athletic manager, said that his team were “embarrassed at times” by newly promoted Swansea City at The Valley. The League One champions consistently passed their way around Pardew’s team, but lacked a cutting edge. Mark Hudson headed the home side ahead two minutes into his debut and, after Garry Monk, the Swansea captain, was sent off for a second booking with 20 minutes left, Andy Gray added a second from another set-piece to flatter Charlton. “We’d worked hard on winning the ball off them all week, but we gave it away too easily,” Pardew said. “And when we did, they passed it well and at times they embarrassed us.”

Roberto Martinez, the Swansea manager, was proud of his team’s performance, but furious at the goals they conceded. “They were simple goals at whatever level you play at, so that was poor,” he said.

Coventry 2 Norwich 0

Attendance 22,607

Leon McKenzie, the former Norwich City striker, scored the decisive goal that earned Coventry City all three points. Elliott Ward gave Coventry the lead with a penalty after a seemingly innocuous challenge by Sammy Clingan on Stephen Wright. McKenzie’s late goal sealed the victory, but Chris Coleman, the Coventry manager, was less than happy with his team’s display. “I’m delighted for Leon,” he said. “He came on and did well. It wasn’t a good performance, but the desire and will to win were good. We were desperate at times and we’re a much better team than we showed.”

Glenn Roeder, the Norwich manager, felt that his team were denied a penalty. “Without doubt we should have had a penalty,” he said. “Wes [Hoolahan, the Norwich midfield player] was about to pull the trigger and he’s had his legs whipped away.”

Ipswich 1 Preston 2

Attendance 22,307

Alan Irvine, the Preston North End manager, saluted Paul McKenna after his stunning 25-yard shot inspired his team to victory at Portman Road. The midfield player turned the match by rifling the ball into the top corner after Ipswich Town had taken an early lead through Kevin Lisbie, who headed in a cross from Danny Haynes. Preston, who did not record a win until mid-September last season, clinched victory after Simon Whaley tapped home. “Paul has been striking the ball well,” Irvine said. “It was a very good strike. When it was rolled to him, I fancied him. As for his overall display, he has carried on. He was terrific last year.”

Jim Magilton, the Ipswich manager, hoped that the result would rid his players of complacency. “Because we had such a fantastic home record last year, some of our lads thought it was automatically going to happen. Maybe this is a wake-up call,” he said.

Plymouth 2 Wolves 2

Attendance14,789

Sam Vokes came off the bench to score a dramatic equaliser on his debut as Wolverhampton Wanderers twice came from behind to earn a point at Home Park. Marcel Seip appeared to have scored the winner for Plymouth Argyle after Michael Kightly cancelled out Rory Fallon’s opening goal, but Vokes drew Wolves level to cap a memorable first appearance after joining from Bournemouth in the summer. Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager, felt that his team created enough chances to win. “I told the players that I think we should have won,” McCarthy said. “We showed determination, coming back from being down twice, but we didn’t finish the chances we had.”

Paul Sturrock, the Plymouth manager, hopes to add to his squad. “We are still short,” he said. “We are going to bring in two or three players.”

Sheffield Wed 4 Burnley 1

Attendance 23,793

Marcus Tudgay and Akpo Sodje scored two goals each as Sheffield Wednesday launched their new campaign with a rousing victory at Hillsborough. Wednesday escaped relegation on the final day last season, having lost their first six games, so Brian Laws, the manager, was delighted to see his team make a lightning start this time. “We made a poor start last season, so we wanted to get a first win under our belts as quickly as possible,” he said. “It’s early days, but we’re delighted.” Laws praised his forward pairing of Tudgay and Sodje, saying: “The strikers looked in good form. I thought that Marcus Tudgay was excellent and Akpo Sodje showed just what a player he can be for us.”

Owen Coyle, the Burnley manager, criticised his team’s defensive display after they were pulled apart. “The defending was nothing short of naive,” he said.