Ainsworth bemoans ‘naivety’ after Dozzell is sent off in QPR defeat

QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth bemoaned his side’s “naivety” after they had a man sent off for the second successive match.

Rangers were beaten 2-1 by Championship leaders Leicester at Loftus Road, where Andre Dozzell equalised but was later dismissed.

Abdul Fatawu reacted angrily to a challenge from Dozzell, who raised a hand towards him and was given a yellow card for that retaliation and another for the foul.

It came after Jimmy Dunne was sent off during the midweek defeat at West Brom, also for picking up two yellow cards in quick succession.

Ainsworth said: “Naivety has cost us again. It’s cost us over the past two games.

“Out of the four bookings that have cost us two red cards, I think there’s only one legitimate foul in there and the rest has been just stupidity.

“Andre has reacted just as Fatawu ​wanted him to. The referee has​ no choice but to give a second yellow.

“We had a plan put in place that I think was working. But again you need 11 men, especially against the top-of-the-league team.

“I thought there were some superb performances for us. There wasn’t much in the game at all until Andre falls for the trick of gamesmanship from Fatawu.

“Andre has to learn from that. It was always going to be tough after that. It still took a world-class goal to beat us.”

A spirited performance perhaps eased the pressure on Ainsworth, who remains convinced they will avoid relegation.

However, a defeat away to fellow strugglers Rotherham next weekend would put his future in serious doubt.

Rangers are one off the bottom of the table, have lost six matches in a row and won just once at home since last October.

Ainsworth said: “I’m proud of that performance. I can hold my head up high and say we gave absolutely everything.

“As long as that keeps happening we’ll amass enough points to stay in this division.”