Neil Warnock has urged his Middlesbrough players not to get too disheartened after the side fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to QPR this afternoon.

After a big win against Stoke City in his first game in charge, the experienced boss has now tasted back-to-back defeats, with this his first game at the Riverside.

A Jordan Hugill goal was enough to seal the points for the R's and it leaves Boro in the bottom three, although they would be safe as it stands providing Wigan are hit with a 12-point deduction.

Boro couldn't respond to the strike from their former player and they were pretty toothless going forward.

Despite that, Warnock told the Hartlepool Mail that he had no problems with the effort of his team today but he demanded a more ruthless edge in the final third.

"We have to take our chances, I think we had twice as many shots but we just need something to drop for us. I look at the lads and the effort they’ve put in, we just haven’t got to get too down and regroup.

"As I said to them they are very fortunate to be footballers and they have to fight tooth and nail. I did think they did that second half."

The verdict

This was a hugely disappointing result for Boro today and it leaves them in a very bad position with five games to go.

They did not perform to the levels they are capable of and Warnock is sure to have been livid with them in the dressing room afterwards.

Yet, it's no surprise that he hasn't criticised them publicly as he will be wary of keeping them onside for the run-in as he needs to get big performances out of the side.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.