Olly "We won ugly"

Last updated : 13 November 2003 By Mark O' Haire

Manager Ian Holloway admitted QPR had abandoned fancy football to emerge victorious from a rough and tumble London derby with Brentford.

Tony Thorpe's first-half header proved enough to maintain QPR's unbeaten home record and lift them into the automatic promotion positions.

"These sort of games are always going to be tight," Holloway said. "In a local derby, you haven't got time to play pretty football but I was absolutely delighted with the performance and, more importantly, the three points.

"They threw everything and the kitchen sink at us in the second half but we were up for the challenge and that's what teams under me should be like."

Wally Downes claimed Brentford were too hasty in front of goal to make their chances count.

The Bees could find no answer to Thorpe's 43rd-minute goal, wasting a clutch of opportunities in front of 15,865 fans at Loftus Road.

"I didn't think we played very well," Downes said. "We battled, but we let ourselves down with our technique.

"I don't think there was a lot between the two teams but you need composure, and when the chances come you have to stick them away. We were found wanting."