Warburton defends Lumley after QPR defeat

Mark Warburton defended Joe Lumley after QPR’s defeat against Hull but admitted there were “no excuses” for the goals conceded.

Rangers were beaten 2-1 at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, where Ilias Chair fired them into the lead after 20 minutes.

Keeper Lumley gifted an equaliser to Hull by spilling Josh Bowler’s ball in from the right, enabling George Honeyman to score from close range.

Lumley has made a number of errors this season and now faces the prospect of losing his place in the side.

Asked if he is now minded to recall fit-again keeper Liam Kelly, Rangers boss Warburton said: “I’m minded to treat every player the same. The trouble with a goalkeeper is that everything they do is highlighted.

“If a striker misses a chance or a centre-half misses a header it’s easier to say ‘no problem’.

“Joe has pulled off a couple of wonderful saves recently and has been very, very good.

“He had a tough time earlier. I made a change (by selecting Kelly) earlier in the season and that’s the right thing to do – to look after players and when I think the time is right, to change.

“You’ve got to be able to look any player in the eye and say ‘This is why I’m doing it. I’m doing it for these reasons’. They’re men and this is professional sport.

“It’s about what the right decision is for the team and for the player as well. So I look at every player after every game and think about what’s the right thing to do.”

The defensive shortcomings which have blighted QPR’s season were evident again for Jackson Irvine’s last-minute winner.

Irvine was inexplicably allowed to wander in totally unchallenged to nudge Jarrod Bowen’s free-kick past Lumley.

Warburton said: “You can sit here and talk about all the positives, but you lose the game to two ridiculously soft goals, which we can’t give away.

“We gave away a really soft goal and had to respond, which we did. But we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net. Then the second goal is unacceptable, simple as that.”

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