Mike Ashley has always relished a high-stakes gamble but Rafa Benítez cannot have expected Newcastle’s owner to risk quite so much right now

Who knows where Mike Ashley’s failure to trust Rafael Benítez’s judgment during the January transfer window might leave Newcastle United in May but Ciaran Clark’s last-gasp own-goal suggested three nervous months lie in store for a presently wobbly side.

Although still second in the Championship, Newcastle are only four points ahead of third-placed Reading and, frequently struggling against a spirited QPR, they looked a team craving reinforcements.

“I’m disappointed,” said a clearly upset Benítez in answer to questions about both a result which keeps them a point behind the leaders, Brighton, and the lack of transfer business. The latter seemed a cause of puzzlement. “We knew what we needed and, yes, I’m surprised and, obviously, disappointed [we didn’t get it],” he said. “I don’t know what happened.”

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Ashley has always relished a high-stakes gamble but Benítez cannot have expected Newcastle’s owner to risk quite so much by turning a deaf ear to his manager’s warnings that further investment in the squad was imperative for automatic promotion to be assured.

Instead Ashley – who refused to play hardball with Crystal Palace over the mooted signing of Andros Townsend before Tuesday’s deadline – is reportedly irritated that Newcastle are not already cantering to a clearcut second-tier title after he allowed Benítez to spend £45m last summer.

The former Real Madrid and Liverpool manager can, justifiably, point to a division now arguably more competitive than ever before, not to mention the £75m he raised from player sales in the summer.

As recently as autumn Ashley seemed positively starstruck by Steve McClaren’s successor and his message to club staff was: “What Rafa wants Rafa gets”. With Newcastle already comfortably in the black, Benítez believed he would be free to spend the £30m summer trading profit during January and duly compiled a list of targets capable of not merely securing promotion but hitting the ground running in the Premier League next season.

Some inquiries and negotiations did happen but February arrived with not a single new face. Instead of welcoming at least two players from a shopping list including Callum Wilson, Robert Snodgrass, Fabian Delph, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tom Cleverley and Townsend, Benítez was left contemplating the re-appearance of familiar fault lines as an unexpected power struggle began manifesting itself on Gallowgate.

It was thought Graham Carr, the veteran, and previously powerful, chief scout who helped pioneer the club’s flawed policy of signing only players aged 25 and under from more competitive foreign markets had been marginalised.

In recent weeks, though, Carr has appeared by Ashley’s side at matches and the pair apparently shared misgivings over the ages of some of Benítez’s transfer targets while debating whether he should be extracting more from the existing squad. The Spaniard, for his part, has become acutely aware his team are overly dependent on Jonjo Shelvey’s extraordinary vision and passing range and the currently injured Dwight Gayle’s goals.

It does not help that Ashley and Benítez rarely speak, instead communicating through Lee Charnley, the chief executive. If Benítez is far too committed to his present personnel – let alone too much in love with the club and city – to have considered resigning now, he will never be short of suitors and, without some compromise, could easily walk out in the summer.

By then, of course, a promoted, highly solvent and extremely well supported Newcastle would be ripe for a takeover – and the state of Qatar and Chinese consortiums are reported to be among those eyeing them – so everything could change.

More immediately, the overriding priority is going up and Newcastle moved in the right direction when, in the opening minute, Shelvey pounced on a loose ball and directed a right-foot shot into the bottom corner.

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It proved a fragile lead as QPR, out to avenge September’s 6-0 home thrashing by the Tynesiders, forced their hosts into some kamikaze defending and Ian Holloway’s side deservedly equalised on the stroke of half-time when Conor Washington tapped in the fall-out from a corner.

As choruses of “Rafa Benítez,” to the tune of La Bamba echoed round the ground Karl Darlow made an important save from Pawel Wszolek before Matt Ritchie headed Isaac Hayden’s cross beyond Alex Smithies in the 54th minute.

With Daryl Murphy tiring, a substitute was needed but, instead of Townsend stepping off the bench, Benítez introduced Sammy Ameobi, newly returned from a loan stint at Bolton.

Almost immediately Ameobi found himself knocked over and stood on by Joel Lynch, the defender driving his studs into the winger’s back. He escaped unpunished but Newcastle felt even greater collective pain when Ciaran Clark headed that equalising 90th-minute goal into his own net.

“We have to stick together,” said Benítez. “I’m confident we can win here against Derby on Saturday and everything will be fine.”

McClaren, Derby’s manager and his Newcastle predecessor, may have different ideas.