QPR boss Ian Holloway remained upbeat despite watching his side fall to their third successive loss with a 1-0 defeat away to Rotherham United on Saturday.

The Millers, led by interim manager Paul Warne after Kenny Jackett’s resignation earlier this month, clinched their first win since August, thanks to Izzy Brown’s first-half goal.

From there, the majority of the chances fell in the hosts’ favour, but despite his disappointment in defeat, Holloway insisted they must focus on what his side did well, rather than looking at their mistakes.

“It is very, very disappointing, but we have to take the positives,” he said. “A goal has changed the course of the game, it gave them a lift and they held on to it far easier than I would have liked. I saw too many shoulders drop.

“It's early days to get what I want, unfortunately it's not going for them. I commend Rotherham, they put their bodies on the line and they will feel like they had a great day today.

“When I look back at that I can't believe we didn't take a point. I am far more encouraged than I ever have been, I believe in what we are doing, these results are imposters.

“A 4-4-2 and an up for it crowd has managed to beat us 1-0. But when you look at what we did and what they did I know the way they want to play. Their goalie made them get three points.

“It's not easy when you haven't got the three points. We have had a real good go, but we have ended up with nothing for our efforts. I am very encouraged by what I saw.”

The decisive moment in the game came in the 24th minute when Brown finished off a delightful one-two with Danny Ward to fire home his third goal of the season.

The Millers needed goalkeeper Lewis Price to keep their lead intact, but in the second half Warne's men had chances to make it a rout.

Ward hit the crossbar with Joe Newell somehow missing the rebound, before QPR goalkeeper Alex Smithies made a number of fine saves and Jon Taylor wasted a breakaway chance at the end.

And after being reduced to tears after defeat in his first game at the United helm last week, Warne was once again fighting back the waterworks.

“It's a better feeling, winning,” he said. “I wanted to make this for them to win gives me great pride, they left nothing on there, they should be proud of themselves.

“They are buzzing like we have won a cup final. I want good proper football players and they are a group of lads that have got a bit closer and I think that was shown in the performance.

“I think you could see at the final whistle how much it meant to everyone.

“It would have helped my heart rate no end if we would have got a second but it was nice to get the win. To win the game is great, I am sitting next to the chairman at the chairman's ball tonight so that makes my life a little bit easier.”

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