Some things in life are just certain and one of those is when the Sky cameras arrive at Loftus Road we play like a team of strangers. Add into the equation the fact the visitors haven't won away from home all season and Rangers had only one fit striker, a home defeat looked as certain as a James Bond film being on ITV this Christmas.

So Coventry were the visitors last night for a game that didn't look like putting everyone in the Christmas spirit. The news on Sunday that Rangers had narrowly avoided a winding up order and a 10 point deduction for going into administration was hardly helping the general depression around Loftus Road,

Ian Holloway had little choice with his starting eleven. Furlong was out through suspension whilst Nygaard, Gallen, Sturridge and Baidoo were all missing through injury or illness. Georges Santos started the match up front with the only6 other change being at the back where Milanese was replaced by Ian Evatt. Matthew Rose and Marc Bircham returned from injury for a place on the bench along with Cook, Milanese and Jake Cole.

Rangers started the game brightly aiming to build on two good results on the road. Gareth Ainsworth had an early chance to give us the lead. Langley delivered a quality corner on the right and Ainsworth spun away from his marker and flew in with a diving header, which was very well saved by the keeper.

Coventry hit straight back and almost went ahead themselves after a corner was half cleared and despite four Coventry players looking several yards offside the flag stayed down and McSheffrey shot wide when it seemed easier to score. An early scare for Rangers and in truth they never got near Simon Royce's goal again until they scored 80 minutes later.

Referee Uriah Rennie was making a nuisance of himself blowing his whistle every minute and making sure his face got on TV. He was helping to make sure the game didn't flow but the players weren't doing much to keep the game flowing with Rangers unable to put more than a few passes together before giving the ball away.

We did create several half chances in a decent first half display. One lovely move should have produced a goal. Bignot did well on the right and a lovely dummy by Moore gave Santos space to have a shot but his first touch was poor and the chance was gone.

Langley then created a chance after a neat passing move and his clever through ball was too clever for Coventry opening them up but equally too clever for Moore who stood and watched rather than run onto the ball.

Ainsworth was a real threat on the right and drove in a fierce cross, which Moore was unlucky not to connect. Langley was buzzing all over the pitch and seemed well up for the game, his long distance shot was heading for the bottom corner before being well blocked by Page.

At half time the team were clapped off and it was very similar to many games this season. We'd been the better side without ever really playing at our best but lacked the killer final ball and killer finish to wrap up a game there for the taking.

As the second half began Coventry's plan was pretty clear as they hung on for the draw as if their lives depended on it. I don't think I've seen too many sides come to Loftus Road and defend as deep and in such numbers since we got promoted, I'm not sure what they were scared of as with our make shift strike force most teams would have gone for the win.

Rangers continued to press for an opening goal but the players were looking more nervous now and looking for a long ball to Santos rather than getting Langley into the game. The plan didn't work but we still created enough chances to win the game. Ainsworth was at the heart of our best work and got on the end of a perfect cross from Stefan Moore but his header beat the keeper and went narrowly over the bar.

Santos got space in the box and rolled the ball to the unmarked Moore but the big defender got too much power on his pass and Moore just couldn't get to it in time.

Holloway opted to make an attacking change replacing Bean with Cook to allow Langley and Rowlands to try and support the front two from midfield. The idea was right but by this stage the two play makers for Rangers were struggling to get in the game and the back four were continually looking for the head of Santos rather than the feet of Rowlands.

Cook had one chance when he came on to become a hero but his volley from outside the box was saved by the keeper after it had looked to be heading towards the top corner.

Things were getting desperate now and that elusive goal was looking unlikely. It looked like we could play all night and not score and the longer the game went on the worse we were getting. Holloway made one more change bringing on Bircham for Santos, which saw Ainsworth go up front. You could see the thinking behind the change but it didn't really work and before we knew it we were a goal down.

Coventry won the ball after sloppy play by Rangers and McSheffrey was put clean through. Evatt appealed for offside but was again caught out by the offside trap, Royce was slow off his line and ended up taking down the forward to concede the penalty and really give Rennie no choice but to send him off.

Royce argued his case and looked furious throwing off his shirt and gloves. Confusion followed as Holloway and Breacker were screaming at Ainsworth to come off but instead Bircham put on the keepers shirt to go in goal. It was a bizarre moment and eventually Jake Cole was able to come on and make his first team debut.

The youngsters couldn't have wished for a more difficult start and his first touch of the ball was pick it out of the back of the net. So one shot on target from Coventry and it was game over. Rangers had been mugged and despite the minutes injury time we were never going to get back in the game as we ended it looking a disorganised mess.

This was a game we should have won and in no way deserved to lose but that's the way our luck is going at home at the moment, we just can't buy a win at home and the atmosphere that has been so good at Loftus Road over the last few years has completely gone now.

This was a frustrating performance and similar to so many at home this season. We were the better side but were still poor for long periods of the game and by midway through the second half we had completely run out of ideas.

Richard Langley had a good first half but was hardly in the game after the break, Moore and Santos did their best but were never enough of a threat get us a goal. The final ball was again frustratingly poor. Gareth Ainsworth was again our best player working his socks off for the team and he was the only one who looked like scoring.

So Brighton next on Boxing Day and Rangers will be without Santos and Royce due to suspension and with only Paul Furlong and possibly Shabazz Baidoo returning from the walking wounded it's going to be a difficult Christmas to be a QPR fan.

Man of the Match: Gareth Ainsworth

Players Ratings: Royce 6, Bignot 6, Dyer 6, Shittu 6, Evatt 6, Ainsworth 8 (Cole 6) Bean 6 (Cook 6), Rowlands 6, Langley 7, Santos 7 (Bircham 6) Moore 7