GARETH Ainsworth says he understands the criticism coming his way from the away end in last night’s 2-0 defeat for struggling QPR at West Bromwich Albion.
The Hoops went in on level terms at the break but the game-changing moment arrived shortly before the hour.
Kenneth Paal tripped Grady Diangana in the box, Jimmy Dunne collected his second yellow for protesting about the penalty award and then Brandon Thomas-Asante scored from the spot.
Diangana added the Baggies’ second midway through the second half to pile the pressure on Ainsworth going into Saturday’s home date with high-flying Leicester City.
The QPR gaffer told the club’s YouTube channel: “We had a plan, the plan was working and then we give a silly penalty away. It looks like a penalty.
“I haven’t seen the replay but it looks like one, but I don’t think we really need to make the tackle.
“It was there, it was working. We got them frustrated, the West Brom fans were frustrated and then all of a sudden it turns on that moment.
“In that moment as well we lose Jimmy to a red card.
“After looking at the video the referee has said he has got involved in something around the penalty spot.
“He is already on a yellow and it is naïve if he has and disappointing but obviously it is going that way at the moment.
“Losing Jake (Clarke-Salter) at half-time, again another one that just seems to be going against us at the moment.”
Ainsworth added: “I’m a fighter, I will fight my way out of this. I’ve said this all along – we will fight our way out of this.
“It is the only way. It is what we’ve got to do now.
“I know the fans are getting really frustrated and obviously there were a few songs and criticisms, but that is only understandable because they’ve come a long way.”
Ainsworth revealed Dunne had apologised in the dressing room afterwards but acknowledged it became very difficult for his side to compete with a numerical disadvantage.
He said: “I think we had some good moments in the first half, some breakaway moments which were good.
“Second half we had a plan to ease the pressure, move forward and very similar to last year what kept us up at Burnley and Stoke.
“But you can’t do it with 10 men and you can’t do it with giving penalties away. That’s tough.
“Listen, I will back the lads, I always will and I’ll keep going. I will get them ready for Saturday now but I think we are missing one or two, which again is really, really going to be tough.
“It’s not effort, it’s not football tonight – it is silly things that have cost us. It is a little bit of naivety.
“Obviously we don’t work on those things in training to give penalties away, to get sent off. We work on a system with 11 men.”
