Kevin Blackwell: 'Queens Park Rangers did not deserve to lose'

Queens Park Rangers interim first-team coach Kevin Blackwell has insisted that his side did not deserve to lose their Championship clash against Middlesbrough.

Blackwell was placed in charge of team affairs on Friday after interim boss Neil Warnock did not make the trip to the Riverside due to personal reasons, but the R's acquitted themselves well against the North-East outfit.

However, Middlesbrough were awarded a penalty in stoppage time when Leroy Fer handled in the box, which allowed Grant Leadbitter to fire Aitor Karanka's men to the three points.

Blackwell told the club's official website: "Sometimes in life you don't get out what you put in and that's most certainly the case tonight. I feel for the players because they didn't deserve to lose the game, especially in those circumstances.

"As a manager, if you come off and look the players in the eye and know they gave you everything, you can't argue - and I feel like that after that.

"Everyone put in a shift, everyone ran their hearts out for the team. The Boro players, staff and fans know their team have got out of jail tonight."

QPR are 13th in the Championship following their defeat.