QPR proved the early doubters wrong with a welcome 2-1 success at Cardiff City yesterday.
The Hoops came in for plenty of stick in the wake of their abject 4-0 defeat at Watford seven days earlier.
But it was a very different story in the Welsh capital as Gareth Ainsworth’s side secured a first victory of the Championship campaign.
Sinclair Armstrong was perfectly placed to convert Paul Smyth’s 34th minute inviting cross to fire QPR ahead.
Armstrong then turned provider on 65 minutes to set up Kenneth Paal for the second.
Cardiff halved the deficit in the 78th minute through Ike Ugbo and there was late drama when Mark McGuinness struck the woodwork.
But QPR held on, much to the obvious delight of under-fire Ainsworth.
He said: “I said to Sinclair before the game that he was going to score his first goal in the Championship today and he gave me a big smile back.
“And after his goal he showed a real presence of mind to pick out Ken Paal for the second.
“They were two well-worked goals and I am really pleased for him and all the lads.
“And to the fans who turned up today, thank you so much for your efforts. It meant a lot.”
New signing Steve Cook went straight into a three-man defence and his wealth of experience immediately paid off with a much more resilient backline display after the Watford fiasco.
Ainsworth explained: “We changed the way we wanted to play and I have to start coming towards a different style.
“I am loving what we did today but it is the boys who deserve all the credit.
“They are the ones that got the win today, every single one of them.
“It’s not just about football, it is about work ethic and that resilience that they showed today.
“Just give these boys a chance because they are going to work their socks off and the signings we have made this summer have really contributed.”
Next up for the Hoops is a Loftus Road Carabao Cup tie with Norwich City on Wednesday (7.45pm).
