It was a rare off night at Kenilworth Road for the Hatters, who had their 22-match home midweek unbeaten run ended courtesy of goals from Charlie Austin and Macauley Bonne.

“We were flat,” Jones admitted. “Maybe it was the two-week break we have had since that team played at home, but we were really flat and really disappointing. We started quite well, stuck to the game plan early on but then just dropped deep, allowed them to get into the front, allowed them to put balls in our box, we just weren’t brave and that just hasn’t been us at home.

“That’s the disappointing thing. We lost the first header and then someone doesn’t realise that Charlie Austin has been doing that for the last 20 years, just drifts in and gets a free tap in. Really poor from our point of view, but let’s give QPR credit, they won the game and we didn’t step onto them.

“We started quite well and then we were just so passive. Second half was much better, and we should have scored straight after half-time.

"We had so many situations second half. George comes on and gets an opportunity, but we have got to be better, we have to show more quality in those moments.

"We played with far more vigor and front-footedness in the second half but we can’t chase games at this level, that is what we’re learning. If we don’t start well and if we don’t get on the front foot, then we don’t get a foothold in the game.”