Ryan Lowe reaction with Preston North End players 'on the floor' after QPR loss

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe understands increasing frustration around the club, after Friday night's 0-2 loss to Queens Park Rangers.

Paul Smyth and Chris Willock scored second half goals for Marti Cifuentes' side, as the Rs inflicted a third successive defeat on North End. Preston were frustrated in the first half and picked off in the second, registering one shot on target over the course of the 90 minutes.

Post-match, Lowe cut a deflated figure but backed his players to come through the testing period they are going through. He was disappointed to hear boos at Deepdale, but equally as frustrated by his side's performance.

"Yeah, tough defeat to take," said Lowe. "I thought both teams were a little bit flat. We asked our lads to raise it by 10 or 15 per cent, because I think that is all it needed. They raised it better than us and found themselves two goals up. Without being disrespectful, I don't think they had to earn the right. It was gifted to them a little bit and we need to do better in those situations. I am scratching my head, but what I won't do is slander my players. We will find solutions to it, because this team has generated 28 points.

"We probably shot ourselves in the foot by having a rocket of a start and now, by having a bit of a dip, it's obviously a whirlwind. I get it, it's not good enough at the moment. But, what I will say is this group of players have done good before the last week - scored goals and kept clean sheets and put bodies on the line. In the past week, we've not done that. What I will say is that the last time this happened, we went on a good run. I am hoping that the fact we've done it before, we can find the solution and get through it together.

"When these moments are like this, it's not nice and everyone knows that. We've got to try and be better next time and I will make sure we do that with the group. They are a fantastic group of players and that's my belief in them, that they can do it because they've proven it. They are flat, they are down and out aren't they? I get it, there's a bit of tension, a few moans and groans and I get it. We've got to learn to get over that and deal with it. They are a group that care and that's the biggest positive I can give them.

"They are on the floor in there, because they know it's another opportunity missed for us to get three points. For us, we are not scoring enough at the moment or keeping the back door shut. We had to drag them out to play round them, because they are solid and coached differently now - hard to break down. We couldn't find our tens, to get on the ball or our lads coming in off the sides. The fours were on the ball, but a bit deeper.

"And when the ball goes back, you're not beating a team who are third bottom and you've not scored, then everyone gets anxious. Maybe it did set in, but I think we've got to be bigger and bolder than that. I don't like letting people down and I know the frustration around the crowd, with the fans. I get it; I am a fan myself but I think we've got to be a bit respectful, for where we are and what we've done. We probably gave ourselves false hope a little bit, with the start we had.

"I don't want my players being booed or abused coming off the pitch. It is not nice, for wellbeing and everything else. I do get the frustration, honestly, but we've got to be a little bit better. We've got to be better on the pitch but also better all round, because we're hurting as well as them. It is easy to shout abuse and boo, but they are trying. We've just got to try and stick together and hopefully progress through these bad times."