Sheffield Wednesday manager, Brian Laws, rued the defeat at the hands of Queens Park Rangers, insisting his side deserved at least a point from an open affair at Hillsborough.

The R's ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of a late Kaspar Gorkks header, but only after surviving a sustained bout of pressure from the hosts.

Laws said: "Football can be cruel at times and I think we experienced that this afternoon. In the first ten minutes we were sloppy and I thought we gave them too much respect and they got one goal and could have got another. That was the warning sign but after that we got back into the game, scored a great goal and after that, we were in control. "

The Owls boss said his side enjoyed the better of the second period and Laws also noted an inconsistent performance from referee Nigel Miller.

"In the second half, we pinned them in, they didn't cause us too many problems at the back and I was delighted with the performance against a very good side, no question about it. So to lose the game in the manner that we did, from a corner that was not even a corner, probably typifies the referee.

"He was so inconsistent, we were all scratching our heads with disbelief at some of his decisions. But I don't want to talk too much about the referee, he can't take all of the blame, it was a basic corner and we have conceded direct. But I think everyone would say it was unjust."

Laws did take satisfaction from some aspects of the contest and picked out midfield man Tommy Miller for praise. Miller, who missed the early part of the season through injury and was recently one of a string of players laid low with a virus, stored another valuable 90 minutes and the gaffer noted the improvement in his play.

He added: "I thought Tommy Miller was excellent down that right hand side and tucked in when necessary. He's good with the ball, creative and has certainly done well over the last couple of games.

"He's only just come back from a virus and you could see towards the end, he was absolutely struggling, as was Jermaine Johnson and Frank Simek, so the substitutions were no brainers. They were forced upon us and we did lose a little momentum but I had to make the changes.

"I am disappointed for the players because they have put in a good shift and done enough to win the game. This is the second home game we have had our pockets pinched after the last game against Preston. It would be nice to go somewhere and pick someone else's pocket, so now it's up to us to respond."