Debut to forget for Gareth as Chair gets pulled away
BLACKBURN fan Gareth Ainsworth saw his Loftus Road homecoming party wrecked by the club he supported as a boy.
The former winger, who spent seven seasons in west London before an 11-year spell at Wycombe, got a huge reception ahead of the game.
But Ainswoth (below) saw the size of the task ahead of him laid bare as his new side slumped to their fifth defeat in six games and lost key playmaker Ilias Chair to a hamstring injury.
The last time Rangers tasted victory on home soil was on October 22 when they sat on top of the table under the guidance of Mick Beale.
But since Beale quit to return to Glasgow Rangers, the Hoops have gone into freefall. His replacement Neil Critchley was shown the door this week after just one win in 12 games in charge.
A buoyant Rovers side took the lead after 15 minutes when Sam Gallagher nodded home Tyrhys Dolan’s cross for his first goal since October.
But Rangers responded just nine minutes later when midfielder Tim Iroegbunam fired home his first professional goal after the ball dropped to him in the box following a good run from Osman Kakay.
However, the momentum was checked when
Chair pulled up sharply and his exit saw Blackburn take full control of the game.
Sammie Szmodics slotted past Seny Dieng on the stroke of half-time after being teed up by Lewis Travis’ excellent pass.
Gallagher then added his second on the hour mark after being found by Joe Rankin-costello’s low cross.
“I am delighted with the result, I think we can all agree we deserved to win this game,” said Rovers boss Jon-dahl Tomasson.
“Big credit to the lads, we know how difficult it can be to come to this ground.”
“We scored three excellent goals and created more chances.”
Ainsworth said: “Losing Ilias was a big blow, that took a whack out of the boys, it really did.
“The main thing is that the lads took on board my message about belief, work-rate and what it means to play for QPR, which is what I wanted to see.” QPR: Dieng 6; Kakay 6, Dunne 5, Dickie 5, Paal 5; Johansen 5, Field 6 Iroegbunam 7 (Richards (88) 6); Chair 6 (Dozzell (32) 6), Martin 6 (Adomah (75) 6), Lowe 6 BLACKBURN: Pears 6; Rankin-costello 8, Brittain 7, Hyam 7, Carter 6; Buckley 6 (Phillips (90) 6), Travis 8; Thomas 6, Dolan 7 (Morton (80) 6), Szmodics 7 (Hedges (70) 6);
Gallagher 8