Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOE: I’VE LEARNT TO TROLL WITH IT
Lumley silences the critics with his first clean sheet of the season
JOE LUMLEY insists that he can deal with any internet trolls that come his way.
The QPR keeper has recently been targeted on social media by a handful of Rangers fans after several high-profile errors – abuse that manager Mark Warburton described as “outrageous”.
But Lumley kept a first clean sheet of the season and QPR’S first shut-out for 24 games with a solid display as the Hoops defeated out-of-form Preston.
“It’s a first clean sheet of the season and it’s been a long time coming,” said Lumley. “But it’s not just the goalie that keeps a clean sheet, it’s the whole team.
“You’re going to get criticism as a footballer, from coaches, from fans, from whoever, it’s part of the game. And I try and use it to make myself mentally stronger.
“I’ve made a few mistakes this season, but I haven’t meant them. I haven’t played a bad 90 minutes – it’s been one moment in a game that gets punished and then highlighted.”
Rangers secured a first win for nearly two months thanks to goals in each half from youngster Ebere Eze, who took his tally for the season to nine.
He got his first in the 17th minute when he raced on to Geoff Cameron’s pass and scored with his second attempt after being denied by Declan Rudd.
And he fired in a 67th-minute penalty after Rudd was deemed to have fouled Marc Pugh.
It was a decision that did not go down well with Preston defender Paul Huntington as his injury-hit side slumped to a fourth straight loss and fell out of the play-off places.
“We didn’t feel the penalty was deserved,” he said. “Some of their lads weren’t sure themselves.
“The ref has to be certain as it’s a defining moment and we’re the ones who have to live with it.”