Manager hails midfielder after maiden goal against Rotherham

QPR manager Ian Holloway was delighted to see Massimo Luongo finally score his first goal for the club in the 5-1 thrashing of Rotherham.

The Australian midfielder, making his 63rd appearance for the Rs, netted his team’s fourth goal in a resounding win at Loftus Road – their fourth consecutive home victory.

Holloway said: “I’m delighted. The boy has been fantastic for the club and it (not scoring) does play on your mind.

“He’s been absolutely outstanding and all he’s needed is a goal. Hopefully that will free him up. He thoroughly deserves it.

“It was a header too. The lads are killing him over that, saying ‘How can you score with your head?!’

“It was very pleasing. The celebrations after it said a lot and the good news is that spirit is growing.”

Matt Smith put Rangers ahead after five minutes and Luke Freeman restored the lead following Joe Newell’s stunning equaliser.

Yeni N’Gbakoto’s penalty four minutes into the second half made it 3-1, before Luongo headed home eight minutes later and skipper Nedum Onuoha added the fifth in injury time.

“I didn’t enjoy the first half at all. We scored early and it looked like we thought we’d done enough,” added Holloway.

“We didn’t move the ball sharply or press, but luckily we managed to get another goal and then the second half I was delighted with.

“In the end we got what we deserved, but we’ve got to keep going.

“Let’s hope we can get a group of players who believe they can win on a regular basis.

“At the minute, our stats are telling me that’s what we’re doing.”

Interim boss Paul Warne said Rotherham fans had good reason to be angry after another defeat – the Millers’ seventh in a row.

The Championship’s bottom side are on the verge of relegation and Warne admitted: “My overriding emotion is of embarrassment.

“I’m clapping our fans at the end and most of them were pretty courteous to me. If they were throwing stuff at me I’d understand why.

“I honestly believe we were the better side in the first half apart from the fact we gave away two howling goals.

“The first goal came from one ball down the channel and the second was an absolute calamity.

“At half-time I said some home truths about our defending, which I thought was abysmal.

“To then concede two, it’s game over, and you can tell our lads are used to losing.

“I’m not saying they threw the towel in, because that’s not what they did, but you could tell they just wanted the game to end after 65 minutes.

“In this league, some of our players are being outclassed. I can’t legislate for individual errors of that magnitude.”