QPR 1-2 Hull: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Steve Bruce react
Friday 1 January 2016 21:28, UK
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink doesn't think his QPR side deserved to lose against Hull on New Year's Day, with both managers agreeing it wasn't a classic match at Loftus Road.
The game mostly meandered through the 90 minutes, but a busy finish saw the Tigers pick up their first Sky Bet Championship away win in nearly two months.
It leaves QPR manager Hasselbaink without a win since his arrival in west London, and he didn't think his side deserved their defeat.
"It was not a match we deserved to lose. I don't think it was a classic," the former Chelsea striker told Sky Sports after the game.
"I think we matched each other, especially in the first half. In the second half when they scored, I think we could have got a free kick and we didn't but you still have to defend it properly.
"They've got good players who can punish you and they did, but we came back really well and we looked like winning. We looked good and looked organised in the majority of the game.
"We created half chances but we needed that little bit of conviction and belief in the first half. We could have scored one or two goals, but that's where we are at the moment. That's the work to be done so that's our concentration for the weeks to come."
Hull's winner was the result of a mix-up between Grant Hall and goalkeeper Rob Green, with the duo falling over each other and allowing Diomande to go through and touch the ball into the back of the net.
Hasselbaink said: "I think the goal was a big misunderstanding and they're both disappointed. They're both competitors and professionals and they want to do the right thing. It's unfortunate and it's a pity but we have to move on, pick it up and keep on going."
QPR are now 10 points off the play off places - sitting in 15th on 30 points - but Hasselbaink isn't concentrating on a push for promotion just yet.
He said: "I'm not thinking about the play-offs. I'm thinking about making sure the team are performing better and trying to get a win, that's what I'm thinking about. We're not looking up the table right now, we're looking to concentrate on us."
In contrast, Hull moved above Brighton into third after their loss to Wolves earlier in the day, and despite a lucklustre display for the most part, Bruce was pleased to end the Tigers' recent run on the road.
"I didn't see the finish coming because it was pretty uneventful," he told Sky Sports straight after full time.
"It was difficult. It was a lively pitch and the wind was swirling but it wasn't a classic and that's what the Championship is at times. The quality can go awry because people are playing tired, today was the third game in six days or something like that.
"You could see we were edgy, a bit nervous because of our away performances in the last month, but thankfully we showed a bit of resilience and a bit of attitude because you do get games like that.
"It's not all about playing quality football, we'd all like to play better than that, but it's all about the result this time and we got it."
Winning goalscorer Diomande only made his Hull debut last month after an injury-plagued start to life in England since he joined the Tigers in September.
Bruce said: "He's had a frustrating start because unfortunately, what we thought was an injury that would keep him out for three weeks kept him out for 12.
"He's had to be patient because he walked through the door injured and that's never great. It'll be good for him and he'll give us something else. He's quick and he's powerful and when we bought him here, he was the top goalscorer in Norway so I hope he's got a few more."
