QPR fans right to boo, Warburton admits

By

QPR boss Mark Warburton admitted angry home fans had every right to jeer his team after the 3-1 defeat by struggling Peterborough.

Stuttering Rangers have lost four of their past five matches, have slipped to eighth in the Championship table​,​ and are struggling to stay in the race for a play-off place.

And Warburton’s players were booed off after an appalling second-half display at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.


Warburton said: “Those boos must hurt. They should hurt every player and every staff member to a man – and I’m sure it does.

“They care passionately. That will hurt. But the punters are right to boo.​”​

A triple substitution by Warburton in the second half did not go down with many in the crowd.

Goalscorer Luke Amos and striker Andre Gray were taken off along with Andre Dozzell, with Jeff Hendrick, George Thomas and Charlie Austin sent on.

Warburton explained: “We needed someone to get on the ball. It was pinging around and we didn’t take care of the football.

“Andre (Gray) has played 90, 77 and 90 minutes and been great for us. We’ve got to be careful. When they haven’t played that much football for a long time all that happens is they go into fatigue.

“We’ve suffered (with injuries) this season and have suffered again with Chris Willock and David Marshall, and we had Lee Wallace out for weeks and Sam McCallum having surgery – you’ve got to be so careful.

“We’ve got an outstanding medical team. You can ignore them, but if you do you do so at your peril. So that was the Andre Gray situation.

“Then it was about getting energy going forward. Luke scored a great goal, but I didn’t think we were threatening their keeper. I thought George might do that.

“I thought Jeff might be that one to get on the ball for us and that George might stretch them.”

Amos gave Rangers the lead after just nine minutes and they appeared to be in control.

But Jonson Clarke-Harris equalised shortly before half-time and then put Posh ahead from the penalty spot early in the second half after Jimmy Dunne had fouled Joe Ward.

Jack Marriott’s stunning strike then sealed Posh’s first win since Grant McCann’s recent appointment as manager, taking them off the bottom of the ​table. ​

“There’s anger, frustration and disappointment. I’m disappointed beyond belief,” Warburton said.

“We got the goal, had chances and then gave away an awful goal. Then I didn’t recognise us in the second half.

“We gave away an awful penalty – I can’t explain that – and then allowed Marriott to turn and shoot on his favourite foot.

“We have to look at that and say it was was so far below our best. We have to get back to back to basics quickly and not waste what is still a very good opportunity.

“You don’t become a bad team and there are a lot of good players in that dressing room. But that today was so far below our best in the second half.

“They’re good players, there’s no lack of quality, but we let ourselves down today.”