Kieran McKenna pleased with George Hirst brace as Ipswich ease past QPR

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was delighted to see George Hirst answer his doubters by netting twice in a 4-1 victory at QPR.

The Scotland striker had not scored in his previous five matches and has come in for criticism from some fans.

But he was on top form at Loftus Road, where Marcelino Nunez also scored twice in a resounding win for McKenna’s side after Rumarn Burrell had levelled.

McKenna said: “It’s a good boost for him. George manages to stay pretty confident. I’ve been happy with the work he’s been giving to the team.

“There were a few bits last week that I didn’t love from the crowd. But he’s working really well and he’s giving a lot to the team in his role. He always gives us a good focal point.

“When he runs hard for the team and he gives us leadership and puts himself about, I’ll always take that as a really good base.

“Of course some days you can be a little bit better in your execution and some days a little bit worse but when he’s giving what he can give to the team he’s a hell of a focal point.

“We spoke in the hotel last night. We spoke about just sticking at it, getting in the right positions, giving everything to the team and trusting that the goals will come. He knows he’s got an important role.”

Hirst opened the scoring after barely a minute and the visitors regained control after Burrell equalised midway through the first half.

Both Nunez’s goals were from free-kicks, with the first restoring the visitors’ lead at the start of the second half.

Hirst made it 3-1 after 57 minutes and Nunez added a fourth seven minutes later.

“A good win and the goals are obviously the highlight in football but today even more so,” said McKenna.

“We scored two terrific team goals, really well-worked – things we’ve been working on – and also two brilliant individual goals.

“When Marcelo steps up and does that twice in quick succession it has a massive impact on the result.”

QPR head coach Julien Stephan insisted his team matched Ipswich for much of the game despite the scoreline.

The Frenchman admitted conceding goals in the opening couple of minutes of both halves was costly.

“One goal in the first minute of the first half and then one goal in the first minute of the second half. Mentally it’s difficult after that,” said Stephan.

“I enjoyed the reaction after their goal in the first half and at half-time I said to the players that we were in the game and that I felt we could do something.

“But the second goal, how we conceded that, I think it killed us mentally. In the 20 to 25 minutes after that it was not good and they were better than us.

“But, during 60 minutes, my feeling is we were very close. In the end it was a question of consistency and we were not consistent enough.

“In our good period we were collectively and defensively very strong. But Ipswich were clinical, it was the difference between them and us, and we have to correct mistakes.”