Neil Warnock was pleased with his players' response after his half-time teamtalk against Doncaster.
Manager urged players to up their game; O'Driscoll upbeat despite loss
Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Warnock was pleased with his players' response after his half-time teamtalk against Doncaster.
Warnock felt his charges under-performed in the first period, and his words at the break had the desired effect as his team claimed a 3-0 win over Rovers.
Rangers are now six points clear at the top of the Championship having made their best start to a season since 1947.
But they did not play like it during a first half in which Doncaster looked by far the better team while Warnock's attacking riches, such as Adel Taarabt, Jamie Mackie and Hogan Ephraim, misfired.
Rangers almost conceded their first goal at Loftus Road this term after 25 minutes when Paddy Kenny tipped Martin Woods' free-kick onto the post and Clint Hill cleared James O'Connor's rebound off the line.
However, two second-half goals from Kaspars Gorkss, either side of Taarabt's penalty, gave Rangers the victory, albeit by a flattering margin.
"At half-time I told three or four of my major players they were a bit short and needed to step up, and they did," said Warnock.
"It's just as important to keep a clean sheet as it is to score three goals and I thought the save from Paddy and then the clearance from Clint Hill epitomised the team spirit.
"The goals came at good times. We were off the boil but Doncaster were the reason we were off the boil.
Rovers reaction
"I told my players this would be our toughest game so far, so I wasn't surprised.
"Doncaster are a good team and have a very good chance of being in the play-offs."
Gorkss opened the scoring in the 53rd minute when he met Akos Buzsaky's corner with a firm header.
His initial effort was blocked by Rovers right-back Mustapha Dumbuya but the Latvian centre-half reacted quickest to slam the loose ball past Neil Sullivan.
Rovers were still in the game until the second goal arrived in the 81st minute after Heidar Helguson was upended in the area by Sullivan.
Helguson got back to his feet and tucked the ball away but referee Roger East had already pointed to the spot.
Luckily for the official, Taarabt made no mistake with the penalty, and Gorkss wrapped up the scoring with a header two minutes from time.
"Overall I thought we played really well," said Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll.
"I'm pleased with the performance but not with the result, but that's what happens in this division.
"Now we have to be resilient and bounce back."
