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[Steve Russell]

Lee Power for the Brent & Kilburn Times...

'QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth admitted their 5-0 loss at Oxford United in their last pre-season
friendly was 'unacceptable'.

Defender Jimmy Dunne was stretchered off at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday, as the League One
side went nap, and could well miss the start of the Sky Bet Championship season this weekend.

And fellow centre-back Jake Clarke-Salter remains sidelined ahead of their opening day trip to
Vicarage Road to take on Watford.

"Losing Jimmy just compounds things," Ainsworth told qpr.co.uk.

"We're struggling for centre-halves with Jake injured. We don't know the extent of it yet, but we're
hoping he'll recover soon."

A minute's applause was held for R's legend Trevor Francis before kick-off, with the visitors forced into
an early change when Dunne was replaced by Trent Rendall.

Cameron Brannagan put Oxford ahead on 34 minutes, with Chris Willock going close to a leveller early
in the second half.

Mark Harris made it 2-0, though, after Brannagan and Ruben Rodrigues had combined, and
Marcus Browne headed a third midway through the second half.

Stanley Mills beat the offside trap to fire a fourth past Asmir Begovic, with Jordan Thorniley heading
home from a late corner to complete a miserable day for R's.

"It wasn't good enough," added Ainsworth.

"It wasn't good enough for me, it wasn't good enough for the fans.

"We were outfought and outrun by Oxford, we totally lost our way.

"I'm pleased with where we are in some aspects, but that wasn't good enough.

"We've been convincingly beaten by a League One side and I apologise to the fans for that."

A trip to Watford poses a tough test on the first day of the 2023-24 EFL campaign and Ainsworth says
his side need to show a response.

"That's not acceptable for a pre-season game, it definitely won't be acceptable in the league," he said.

"It wasn't good enough going forward or in defence and I'm going to make sure the boys will be firing
next week.

"Everyone knows we're up against it. I'm glad we've had a kick up the backside on the final day of
pre-season.

"We've got to make sure this is totally reversed next week."

[steveqpr881]

Another Oxford game to forget.......