Rs dropped points in Championship for first time in 2018 with 3-0 loss to Boro

Ian Holloway was left to rue poor defending from his Queens Park Rangers side after falling to a 3-0 defeat at home to Middlesbrough in the Championship.

The Rs started brightly, but conceded the opener in the 24th minute when Daniel Ayala headed home from a corner.

The west Londoners lost further ground 10 minutes later when Boro defender George Friend lashed into the top corner from distance.

QPR let in a third in the closing moments, with Adama Traore scoring from close range for Tony Pulis’ side five minutes from time.

It was a first league defeat of 2018 for the Rs, and Holloway was disappointed with the result after seeing the west Londoners start so brightly.

“For the first 15 minutes, we were causing them all sorts of trouble. I can assure you Tony, who is a friend of mine, wasn’t too happy with what they were doing,” he said.

“Unfortunately we were undone by a corner, which they’re brilliant at. We lost the flick at the near post and Ayala is stood there two yards out and he heads it in.

“It’s a mountain to climb after that, but more importantly it gave them a lift and they started popping it around.

“We seemed to worry about where they were and what they were going to do, rather than carry on and do what we do, which is carry across and block things.

“When George Friend gets it 25 yards out and it goes straight in my net, I’m fuming.

“Tony can come in at half time and can do what he does brilliantly: give you no space anywhere and cruise.

“The third goal, they were clinical and we weren’t. We huffed and puffed and when we did get a chance, we needed to take it.”

In the build-up to the game with Boro, the Rs were linked with a move for Niko Muir, a forward currently playing in the Bostik Premeir for Hendon.

The striker has netted 30 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions for the Greens this term and underwent a trial with QPR this week.

But when asked about the possibility of signing Muir, Holloway was not keen on discussing any potential move for the 24-year-old.

“I don’t want to talk about anyone like that at the moment, my job is to coach the ones I’ve got,” added the 54-year-old.

“I’ve got a wonderful scouting network and if we can move people and lose people, we can get people in who I believe are at least a little bit better than them for the sort of money we can do things for.

“It’s a personal thing and I don’t want to talk about it to be honest.