#INSERT type:image caption:Mousa Sissoko celebrates after hitting the decisive goal at Newcastle. END#
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew had mixed emotions on Saturday after his joy at a sixth successive victory in all competitions was tempered by more heartache for Ryan Taylor.
The 30-year-old utility man lasted just 34 minutes in his first league start for 993 days following two cruciate ligament injuries, and left the field in tears.
Pardew revealed that Taylor's American surgeon, Richard Steadman, was among the crowd for the 1-0 win over QPR at St James' Park and had accompanied him to hospital for a scan as all concerned held their breath.
"We are sweating with Ryan," he said. "Fortunately, his surgeon was here, so he's gone with him to hospital with our doctor, and we are just fingers-crossed on that scan.
"He feels uncomfortable with his knee, so the win is tinged with sadness because he is a person and a personality who just does not deserve the trauma he has had already, let alone another trauma.
"I'm sure all our fans, and certainly all the squad and the staff, are just thinking about him at the moment."
Newcastle, who have now not conceded a goal in 432 minutes of football, enjoyed the better of the game and but for QPR keeper Robert Green, who produced a fine one-on-one save from Ayoze Perez 12 minutes into the second half and a series of other important stops, might have won long before the decisive moment finally arrived.
Captain-for-the-day Moussa Sissoko needed no second invitation when presented with the opportunity to secure the points with 12 minutes remaining, spinning on to Sammy Ameobi's past and rifling inside the far post.
But despite putting together a run of five league wins on the trot, Pardew was refusing to be carried away and dismissed talk of Europe.
He said: "What we have got is a real depth in the squad, which bodes well for the League Cup and bodes well for the Premier League.
"But I think if we were winning 2-0, 3-0 and really punishing teams when we are in possession a little bit more, I would be a bit more confident we could, so I think we are some way off that yet."
QPR left the north-east still awaiting their first point on the road this season.
Manager Harry Redknapp said: "I thought it was drifting away into a 0-0 draw, that's how I saw the game going. I couldn't sit here and say I was on tenterhooks thinking they were going to score, they were battering us.
"We hadn't created enough either. We were solid enough without really being that creative, and I thought it was drifting on to a decent point.
"It's one of those leagues, there are seven or eight teams down there and they are all going to be battling it out at the end of the season."