QPR boss Marti Cifuentes was thrilled with how Ilias Chair channelled his frustration at not starting by creating both goals in the 2-0 win over Preston at Deepdale.

Struggling Rangers have now won two in a row for the first time all season, under recently-appointed boss Cifuentes, who feels his side are starting to find their feet.

And it was the half-time introduction of Moroccan international Chair that made the difference at Deepdale, as the midfielder set up Paul Smyth and Chris Willock in the second half.

The manager said: “I spoke to Ilias at half-time and told him we desperately needed fresh legs out there.

“He wasn’t happy that he hadn’t started the game of course, but that’s what I want.

“I want players here who are disappointed to be on the bench.

“He’s got lots of really strong attributes and he was terrific. I felt confident at half-time that he could contribute.

“The identity of the team is really coming on.

“It’s great to be winning, and though it is small steps at this stage of the season, I can see real progress since I came to the job.

“I’m not looking at the league table at the moment.

“It’s far too early for that.

“Maybe in April we’ll look and see where we are, but for now, it’s just about trying to pick up as many points as possible.

“The team is performing well right now, and we don’t necessarily have to be dominant all the time.

“I’m pleased that I can see a clear picture now of how we want to play.

“I’ll be using all the players, and that can be the difference as we move further into the season.”

Preston missed the chance to move back into the top six as they slumped to a third straight loss, despite Ched Evans having the best chance of the opening stages, tamely shooting straight at Asmir Begovic from Mads Frokjaer’s cross.

Duane Holmes also looked lively for Preston, but one of his dangerous crosses was just beyond Will Keane as neither side could find a way through on a bitterly cold evening.

The introduction of Chair proved the difference, his dangerous in-swinging cross poked home from close range by Smyth.

Freddie Woodman then denied the Moroccan a goal of his own, but he ensured they would come away with all three points, crossing for the unmarked Willock to seal the deal three minutes from time, leaving Preston boss Ryan Lowe with plenty to ponder.

He said: “It’s a tough one to take.

“Both teams were a little bit flat I thought, especially in that first half, but we needed to raise our game maybe 10 or 15 per cent, and we just didn’t do that over the course of the rest of the game.

“They raised their game in the second half, and this is what happens.

“Overall we’re all very disappointed, but I’m scratching my head a bit right now.”

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes dedicated the much-needed victory over Stoke to the memory of Terry Venables.

Rangers won 4-2 against the 10-man Potters, who had Enda Stevens sent off early in the second half.

It clinched a first win in 13 matches and only their second at home since October last year.

Venables, who died last week, was a popular player at Loftus Road and as manager guided Rangers to an FA Cup final, promotion to the top flight and then a fifth-placed finish which saw the club qualify for Europe.

“It was a roller coaster of a game and a fantastic win for us,” said Cifuentes.

“I’m really happy, first of all for the players and for the supporters and because I really wanted to win this game in memory of Terry Venables.

“The players know all about a legend like him and the impact he had not only at QPR but in English football and at Barcelona.

“We mentioned that we wanted to go that extra mile to make sure we won the three points for his memory.”

After Lyndon Dykes put the hosts ahead, Ryan Mmaee brought Stoke level just before half-time.

Shortly after Stevens’ dismissal, Wouter Burger put the Potters ahead before Dykes netted his second of the night.

Ben Pearson’s own goal was the stroke of luck struggling Rangers needed, and Chris Willock added a fourth in stoppage time.

Cifuentes said: “Conceding a goal before half-time is always a bit tougher.

“I told the guys it was a great challenge for us to show what kind of team we want to be; a losing team with sad faces and complaining or a team with ambition who chases victory.

“We did that even after they scored their second goal when they had 10 men. Emotionally, that was a big challenge and I’m so glad for them.”

Stoke boss Alex Neil was critical of referee James Linington’s performance.

“I thought there were two horrific decisions that changed the complexion of the game,” Neil said.

“It was as soft a penalty as you’re likely to get. The sending-off is also really soft. I thought both decisions were really poor.

“The problem you’ve got is that you’ve got some referees that want to make themselves the centrepiece of the game rather than letting the game take place and just managing it.

“I said to him that I thought he changed the complexion of the game and that’s not the job of a referee.

“What I said to the fourth official during the game was ‘I’m not looking for any handouts or favours. I’m just looking for fair decisions’.

“The amount of bookings dished out in this game was incredible for a game in which I don’t think there was a bad tackle.

“I don’t think it was a nasty game by any means. We got eight bookings, which is just absolutely ridiculous for a game where there wasn’t a bad tackle.

“Let’s be honest, if both teams had 11 on the pitch then I think we’re the better side.

“We took the lead and I thought we were going to go on and win the game quite comfortably.”

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes insists he is “very confident” he will lead the club away from trouble in the Championship despite their winless run continuing with a goalless draw against Bristol City at Loftus Road.

City defended well in their first match under Liam Manning following his recent arrival from Oxford as successor to Nigel Pearson.

Cifuentes can take some encouragement from his team’s display in his first home game at the helm.

But the west London side have now gone 11 matches without a win, continue to struggle to create clear-cut chances and remain one off the bottom of the table, having won only once at home in more than a year.

Cifuentes has employed a radically different style of play to the route-one tactics of his predecessor Gareth Ainsworth, who presided over six consecutive defeats prior to his recent sacking.

QPR have returned to a passing style and Cifuentes is convinced that will pay off.

Cifuentes said: “There are mixed feelings. Unfortunately we couldn’t deliver the victory. It was not the result we wanted but I am looking forward to building the togetherness I saw today. I think we can be really strong in the future.

“Despite the result, my job is to make sure that we start to win games. I do think it’s a step in the right direction.

“I see a stable team and one that is striving to have a clear identity – how they want to play from the back and have the courage to pass the ball.

“The identity of the team is starting to show. I feel we are taking steps but we have to be critical and say it hasn’t been enough to win games.

“Over time I’m very confident that this style of play can give us the results we’re looking for,” said the Spaniard.

“I do think that we have the tools inside the squad to play the football we want to and I’m very confident that this will give us the results we want.”

Meanwhile, Manning also saw reasons to feel optimistic after seeing the Robins make a solid start to his reign.

“There was some really positive stuff,” Manning said.

“We’ve worked on our shape out of possession and we saw that come out. There were a lot of positives with the out-of-possession stuff.

“We didn’t concede a shot on target, so when you look from the defensive side of it there were a lot of good things.

“In possession, we know that can improve. But we finished the stronger side in the last 20 minutes and got in some terrific areas.

“It’s been a whirlwind week but I have to give the players a huge amount of credit for how they’ve adapted to the work we’ve asked them to do.

“A pleasing aspect is the clean sheet and also the behaviours you saw – there were people there who maxed out and were running on empty at the end.

“If we want to be the best team that we can be, then that’s going to be important.”

QPR and Bristol City played out a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road, highlighting that their new managers both have work to do.

City defended well in their first match under Liam Manning in a solid but unspectacular start to his reign following his recent arrival from Oxford as successor to Nigel Pearson.

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes will take some encouragement from his team’s display in his first home game at the helm.

But the west London side have now gone 11 matches without a win, continue to struggle to create clear-cut chances and remain one off the bottom of the Championship table, having won only once at home in more than a year.

Draws in his first two games represents a reasonable start for Cifuentes given that he inherited a team which had suffered six consecutive defeats, leading to the sacking of Gareth Ainsworth, but Rangers need to pick up wins soon.

They at least look less prone to defensive errors – a problem which constantly plagued them during Ainsworth’s troubled spell in charge.

QPR striker Lyndon Dykes had a couple of sights of goal in the first half, heading Kenneth Paal’s right-wing corner well over and seeing a shot blocked by Matty James following Paal’s free-kick.

The home side also appealed in vain for a penalty when Paul Smyth’s cross struck Zak Vyner’s arm.

City themselves had appeals for a penalty waved away after the interval when Paal appeared to handle the ball as he challenged Anis Mehmeti.

City then absorbed a period of QPR pressure in which Andre Dozzell shot over and Smyth fired wide of the near post after being found by Dykes.

Cifuentes sent on Sinclair Armstrong in place of Dykes in an attempt to break the deadlock – and the young striker caused City some problems with his pace and power, unsuccessfully appealing for a penalty after going down in the box under a challenge from Vyner.

But the Robins were largely comfortable as QPR, without suspended playmaker Ilias Chair, ran out of ideas in the final stages, with Elijah Dixon-Bonner slicing a shot wide after being teed up by fellow substitute Taylor Richards.

City threatened late on, with Mark Sykes causing problems for QPR on the right flank, but they lacked a cutting edge up front and the draw was very much a fair result.

New QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes said he will ‘never be happy’ with taking a point following his side’s 1-1 draw at fellow strugglers Rotherham.

Ilias Chair produced a moment of magic to fire QPR in front but they were pegged back by substitute Georgie Kelly’s clinical finish.

QPR had great openings to win it late on but Rotherham held out for a point.

Spanish coach Cifuentes, who has replaced Gareth Ainsworth, said: “I will never be happy about a draw especially when we concede from a set-piece.

“There were positive things about our performance. We showed big commitment to compete well.

“We showed stability. We started the second half really well.

“I want to be very positive. There is quality in the squad. I think all the players played at a very good level.

“In the history of QPR, they want to play attacking football and on the ground.

“The build-up will be a part of that. We have technical capacity and good midfielders. Everybody has started from zero and we do not look back.

“It was a top goal from a top player. I am not surprised because he can do these things. He is a fantastic player in this division and my job is to get the best out of him.”

The best chances of the first half fell the way of the hosts with Jordan Hugill lashing over on the angle and Fred Onyedinma forcing Asmir Begovic into a diving stop.

QPR’s sole threat came courtesy of Chair but he twice fired off target after cutting in from the left flank.

Chair produced the first moment of real quality to put QPR ahead five minutes into the second half.

Again he was allowed to come in on to his right foot too easily and this time he hammered an effort into the top corner and beyond the reach of Viktor Johansson.

Rotherham responded strongly and after Cafu had come close with a header, they got level with 20 minutes left to play thanks to Kelly, who powered in at the back post from Cohen Bramall’s free-kick.

The home side were inches away from turning the game on its head but Hakeem Odoffin’s header rebounded off the woodwork.

But QPR were the ones pushing hardest at the end with Jimmy Dunne almost prodding in before substitute Charlie Kelman was somehow denied at close-range by Johansson.

Rotherham manager Matt Taylor was pleased to pick up a point.

He said: “I thought the game lacked quality for the first hour.

“The game was relatively level and on the back of last weekend I would have taken that given the fragility of the confidence of the squad.

“We have got fight. We just did not show it last Sunday (versus Sheffield Wednesday). I was pleased we were able to come out of it.

“No disrespect to QPR but they did not test our goalkeeper until the goal.

“We fell behind to their best player and probably the best player on the pitch. He has done that all his career and despite all that knowledge, we could not quite stop him.

“It was then a case of where we could get energy on the pitch without losing the structure.

“Haks (Odoffin) has had a good chance but there were good saves from Viktor at the end. They were big saves and he has done it time and time again.”