QUEENS Park Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes said his side took a “step in the right direction” despite being unhappy with their performance after Kenneth Paal scored a 95th-minute equaliser against Huddersfield Town at Loftus Road on Sunday.
Jack Rudoni appeared to have earned the Terriers all three points in the relegation scrap when he put Darren Moore’s visitors ahead in the 86th minute.
But Paal finished a cross from Ilias Chair to the net as the R’s grabbed a crucial point.
QPR are 22nd in the Championship table, three points behind Huddersfield in 21st after 29 games.
“Not a good performance and it was generally a poor game. I’m not very pleased with our performance,” Cifuentes said.
“Having said that, we knew there would be tension in this game because it was so important to both sides, so you could see we couldn’t get the grip on the game that we would have liked.
“Then we had to accept that the picture of the game was a lot of fight, a lot of duels and aerial situations.
“So I want to praise the guys, because after conceding a goal in that minute and having the courage and personality to chase the draw, and then to keep pushing to try to get the victory, shows that even when we’re not having our best performance the team is competing well.
“To be able, on a day like today, when many things didn’t go well, to pick up a point, I think is a step to the next level and in the right direction.
“The first thing is to be competitive and the second is that, even on the bad days, you can pick up points. Hopefully we can maintain that.”
Meanwhile, QPR confirmed the signing of Swiss striker Michael Frey on a permanent deal from Belgian side Royal Antwerp before the game.
Frey, 29, has also played in the top flights in France. Switzerland, Turkey and Germany.
“He can be decisive in the final third, he has high energy which fits into how we want to play because he can help us to press high up the pitch, and he is a clever player too,” Cifuentes said.
Frey was at Loftus Road on Sunday and was introduced to supporters.
Frey said: ”QPR is a big club with a big history, a beautiful stadium and top fans. To play in the UK for Swiss players is a big thing, so I was very happy when I heard for the first time about QPR’s interest.”
QPR travel to Blackburn Rovers in the league on Saturday.
