QPR win 1-0 at Everton in Premier League

Queens Park Rangers celebrated its takeover by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes with a 1-0 win at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Tommy Smith scored the winning goal after 31 minutes, controlling Akos Buzsaky's pass before turning and shooting low into the far corner.

Neil Warnock's side was routed 4-0 at home on its return to the topflight after 15 years away last Saturday, but the mood at the club was lifted when Fernandes completed his takeover on Thursday.

Fernandes believes the win will help QPR attract players before the transfer window closes on Aug. 31.

"Neil just called and said best win of his career in these circumstances," Fernandes, who is also chief executive of AirAsia and principal of Formula One's Team Lotus, wrote on Twitter. "Good result in the quest for 3-5 players. We have our list."

Everton, by contrast, are still seeking new ownership, and manager David Moyes has been unable to strengthen his squad during the offseason.

Moyes' side was playing its first game of the season after its opener at Tottenham was postponed in the aftermath of the London riots.

The Everton manager left Mikel Arteta, Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha on the bench because of a lack of fitness, and gave 17-year-old midfielder Ross Barkley his debut.

Barkley made a good impression as Everton created chances, but failed to finish them. Leighton Baines hit the crossbar with a free kick in the first half and Tim Cahill was off target with a close-ranger header.

"If anyone is surprised and disappointed they shouldn't be because we have been saying for a year or two we could do with an injection of wide players and center-forwards," Moyes said.

"We are disappointed we didn't win because I thought we should have gone on and got a result."

Warnock was particularly pleased with an away win in only the second game of the season after several players picked up a virus and were unable to play.

"In the circumstances we've had in the last 24 hours to do what they did was quite amazing and I couldn't be prouder," Warnock said.

"People like Patrick Agyemang were not in my thoughts for the last six weeks and at one o'clock I had to tell him he was playing -it is like something out of a comic book."