If gritty backs-to-thewall wins with 10-men count for anything in the new era of glitz-driven ownership, Gareth Ainsworth is on his way to securing his first fulltime managerial job.

For all the talk of big names parachuting in from foreign climes to take over from Iain Dowie - Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Donadoni have been mentioned - it may be that Flavio Briatore turns to the rock and roll kid from Lancashire to oversee the next phase of his QPR project.

On the evidence of Tuesday night, he could do worse.

Ainsworth was given his first taste of the nightmares you can encounter from the touchline when he had Mikele Leigertwood sent off for a high challenge on Lee Carsley on the stroke of half time.

But he managed to inspire a famous 1-0 win against Birmingham City - the deposed Championship leaders appearing not to share Rangers' appetite for a scrap in a Loftus Road blizzard, or indeed Ainsworth's appetite for an early and unexpected foray into management at the age of 35.

"I'm really proud every game I go out at the helm for QPR," said the caretaker boss.

"It's an honour and of course I've got a taste for it.

"I wouldn't have agreed to be reserve team manager if I didn't have ambition. It's something I want to pursue in my career, but at the moment it's game by game.

"I've been given no indication about my long term chances. All I want to do is focus on QPR and whatever capacity I'm in, you'll get 100 pe r c en t f r om Ga r e t h Ainsworth."

Talking about a week which began with him stepping into Dowie's shoes just 24 hours before the 0-0 draw at Reading, the man who fronts a rock band said: "It has all been very sudden, very quick.

"The games are probably a good distraction at the moment. They are coming thick and fast and I've not really had time to think. I'm just getting on with it, and the boys have been fantastic.

"The day-to-day role has changed. I have to take the sessions and create them and put things on for the boys that I think are going to be relevant to the upcoming games.

"It's an experience for me and it's an experience for them and it seems to be going well.

"There will be discussions again with the other parties over team selection before the next game. I put my case forward for players and other people put their case for certain players, and then the final input is mine.

"I don't want to comment on Iain's departure too much. I've got too much to think about with the caretaker manager's job and that's all I wish to say on that."

Dowie was apparently axed for not picking Daniel Parejo and some of the Italian players brought to the club by Briatore, and it turns out two of them had a big say in Tuesday's win.

It was Damiano Tommasi who won the tackle in midfield which set up Samuel Di Carmine for the blistering 25 yard which settled the contest in the 54th minute and both did well throughout.

But if the suspicion remains that he has no choice but to play the men favoured by the chairman, the inspiration was all Ainsworth's own work.

He kept faith with an attacking approach as much a possible after losing Leigertwood, although he shored up the midfield by replacing Lee Cook with Gavin Mahon.

Yet it was the resolute defending which impressed and a tribute to the organisation that Radek Cerny was never really tested after the break - the keeper having done his work early on with fine saves to deny Cameron Jerome and Kevin Phillips.

"I said to the boys at half time: 'I believe in you and I believe we can go on and win this game.' The commitment they've shown is the reason we've won."

Praise for Tommasi will not harm Ainsworth's cause with the paymasters, but it was justified, given the former Azurri international's impressive debut.

"I thought he was outstanding today," Ainsworth said.

"He was everything I expected of him and more. He's come to the club amid all sorts of rumours of why and how and what, but on Saturday at Reading, although he never got on he said afterwards: 'Gaz, I'll be ready when you need me,' and that's Damiano through and through.

"Today, I really think he was outstanding in central midfield. You can see his contribution to Italian football throughout the years and he's a great pro to have, a fantastic asset for QPR.

"Not many have the experience he's got and that will only add to what we have at the moment."

Match Summary QPR (0) 1 BIRMINGHAM C (0) 0 Line-up: Cerny; Leigertwood, Hall, Stewart, Connolly; Ledesma, Tommasi, Rowlands, Cook (Mahon h/t); Di Carmine (Ephraim 74), Blackstock (Buzsaky 69). Subs not used: Cole, Parejo. Attendance: 13,594 GOALS: Di Carmine (54).

MoM: Damiano Tomassi Entertainment: [2713][2713][2713][274d][274d][274d]

Next Up

IPSWICH TN

Portman Road Saturday 3pm Championship

Manager: Jim Magilton Position last season: 8th Form Guide: Suffered only one home defeat all last season but have already been beaten twice this time - by Preston (1-2) and Wolves (0-2). The mid-table Tractor Boys have beaten Reading (2-0) and Barnsley (3-0) at Portman Road but been held to draws by Crystal Palace (1-1), Swansea (2-2) and Charlton (1-1) in a campaign that has yet to ignite for them.

Players to look out for: Former Fulham player Moritz Volz should be entertaining. Kevin Lisbie, once on loan at QPR, is in the ranks and scored in last weekend's 3-1 win at Plymouth. 

Most recent meetings: Ipswich Tn 0-0 QPR (29 Mar 2008); QPR 1-1 Ipswich Tn (20 Oct 2007) - Championship. Head-to-head record: IT Wins: 24 QPR Wins: 21 Draws: 18

Match Facts: Rangers will be seeking a first win in six meetings. Ipswich did the double two seasons ago and you have to go back to August 2005 to find the last Rs win (2-1 at home). The last win for QPR at Portman Road came in February that year when goals from Paul Furlong and Danny Shittu gave the Hoops a 2-0 win.

Forecast: Rangers can build on the spirit they showed in Ainsworth's first week in charge with another useful away point.

Gazetteforecast success rate: 9 correct out of 17 (53%)