A defiant Gareth Ainsworth hailed Saturday’s 2-0 victory away at Middlesbrough as the start of something special for QPR this season.

Goals from Andre Dozzell and Jack Colback gave the Rs just their second win of the campaign, as their opponents sunk to the bottom of the early second-tier table.

Ainsworth had been full of praise for his charges a week prior after a battling 2-1 defeat to Southampton and believed his side would take all three points from the Riverside if they could replicate that performance.

And the former Wycombe boss was proved right as he lauded the way his side have performed amidst a backdrop of financial difficulties that saw very little transfer market action in West London.

“I am so, so pleased today,” said Ainsworth. “We have deserved this, and I can’t say it has not been coming.

“No business in the transfer market, no business yesterday, I told the boys we are a team, I don’t need to do any more business.

“That performance was the same as Ipswich, the same as Southampton but we got what we deserved today, we really did. They have given everything, they have emptied the tank again.

“It has been an emotional week, I felt so bad for the boys because they deserved something out of last week but didn’t get anything.

“With everything going on, I have kept this squad together and I am telling players to stay with us because we will achieve, you don’t need to go elsewhere to achieve.

“These boys are a real team for me. I did a little graph before the game and showed them where I want them to go, they have bought into this upward curve.

“I have just said this isn't a flash in the pan. It's been sensational and two great goals.”

The Rs took the lead through a sensational first-half strike from Dozzell, the midfielder letting fly from 25 yards and arrowing a shot into the top corner with help from the post.

And Ainsworth was keen to single out the 24-year-old out for praise after establishing himself as a regular starter this season following a difficult first two seasons in W12.

“This is a new era,” added Ainsworth. “Reset what you thought about any players before this and restart from now.

“Andre Dozzell has performed unbelievably since I have come in. He didn’t feature too much last year, I had to stay up and find a way, but this season he is playing that 10 role fantastically.

“And what a goal by the way, I never hit one like that. As a man who shoots from distance, Andre's goal eclipsed my goals, that was so special.

“I'm really pleased for him, and I hope he takes a leaf out of Jack [Colback]'s book of two in two - that's one player we didn't sign for his goalscoring quality."