One parent claimed multiple children were turned away on their first day
22:35, 02 Sep 2026Updated 22:49, 02 Sep 2026
A school has defended its strict uniform policy after pupils were reportedly turned away on their first day of term for wearing skirts that sat “a couple of inches” above the knee.
Parents claimed that students at Denton Community Academy were refused entry on Wednesday despite wearing garments purchased through an approved uniform supplier, according to the Manchester Evening News.
One father, who asked not to be named, said he had spent a “fortune” equipping his two daughters for the new school year, only for them to be denied access to lessons over the length of their skirts.
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“They were ringing us saying they weren’t allowed to enter the school. The skirts they had on were not rolled at all and fell a couple of inches above the knee, if that”, one parent, who did not wish to be named, told the M.E.N.
“It was throwing it down with rain and there were 40 or 50 kids standing outside, not allowed in. They were soaking wet and some were crying.”
The father told the publication that other parents also went to collect their children, while his two daughters spent the rest of the day at home and missed their first day back.
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Northern Education Trust, which runs Denton Community Academy, defended the decision, adding that parents have been reminded of the uniform expectation several times ahead of the new academic year, describing the policies as being applied “consistently” and “fairly”.
“Denton Community Academy is committed to maintaining the high standards that have driven significant improvements in our students’ educational outcomes”, the trust said.
“The academy is the most improved secondary school in Tameside and is now the highest-performing non-selective secondary school in the borough. We are incredibly proud of our students and the high expectations that have driven this improvement.”
Families were reportedly reminded of the expectations on May 6, May 18, July 16 and August 20, the trust claimed, adding, “We cannot comment on individual cases, but we strongly encourage parents with any concerns to speak directly to the academy.
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“We will always work with families to resolve issues, and believe that direct conversation with the school, rather than through the media, is the most constructive way to do that.”
The parent said he had since returned to TopMarks Schoolwear in Ashton, where he claimed the longest skirts available were around 20 inches, which would still not fall below his daughters’ knees.
He also pointed to a photograph in the uniform section of the academy’s website, which he said showed a female pupil wearing a skirt several inches above the knee.
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“This is not an army camp. They’re treating them like soldiers, but they are children, they need an education. It feels like punishment.”
Denton Community Academy’s website says its uniform policy is intended to “set an appropriate tone for education”. It says the uniform provides “a sense of belonging and identity for all students”, while also being “comfortable” and allowing pupils to be themselves.
The policy also prohibits make-up, hoodies and jewellery, as well as “writing on hands or arms for any reason”.
It states: “We do not exclude students for wearing jewellery, having mobile phones or any other breaches of this policy. We will, however, always ask students to rectify the issue that we have raised. These are reasonable requests.”
Patients will be seen and treated quicker under new plans announced by the Welsh Government. An ambitious list of pledges has been announced by the Plaid Cymru health minister as he tries to meet the promises he made during the election campaign and reduce Wales’ stubbornly high waiting times.
The plans mean, the Welsh Government say, that patients will be assessed, diagnosed and treated quicker, rather than spending months or years moving between different stages of the system.
The six specialities being focussed on are orthopaedics, eye care, gynaecology, general surgery, ENT and oral surgery.
Referrals will be also reviewed earlier so people receive the right advice, tests or treatment first time to help avoid unnecessary delays, direct patients to the most appropriate pathway and ensure available capacity is focused where it is needed most.
Many patients attend routine follow-ups they no longer need. The new approach will see patients contact services when they need support rather than attending appointments they may not need, freeing up tens of thousands of appointments for other clinical activity including for those waiting to be seen for the first time.
Faster scanning and testing will be central to the approach, with investment in diagnostic capacity and digital tools to cut the time between referral and diagnosis.
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New standards will also make sure people who have waited longest are treated next, unless there’s a clear clinical reason to prioritise someone else.
The pledge by the end of this government term in 2030 is that longest waits of more than 104 weeks are completely eliminated; the overall waiting list is down; 196,000 more appointments are released; and more pathways for diagnosis and referrals are created.
While many of the proposals or plans are not new as such, there has, we understand, been an increased buy-in from health boards since the change in government.
The Welsh Government say there are examples of good practice all across Wales but this is about joining those up and ensuring patients, wherever they are, receive the same treatment. Patients will see that variability, between, for example, what is classed as urgent by one surgeon in one area removed.
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They say this plan is fundamentally different, because it doesn’t just reduce waiting list volumes – as a plan under Labour did – but is a clinically-led programme designed to create a sustainable system which not only eliminates long waits but improves the NHS in Wales year on year.
A plan last year was all about reducing waiting lists by creating more outpatient capacity and 200,000 appointments outsourced to private operators.
While waiting times did improve temporarily, Wales has over a million outpatient follow-up waits and across the NHS overall demand is growing.
Improvements couldn’t be delivered sustainably because of the way services are run.
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A financial investment of £145m had already been announced, including £100m to reduce NHS waiting times, £25m in new surgical and diagnostic hubs, and £20m on essential maintenance.
The Welsh Government says under this new plan it will require health boards to show it has done work before they are paid resulting in a tighter control of finances.
Health minister Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “Waiting two years for planned care is not acceptable. This investment is tied to health boards changing how they work, permanently, so the progress I expect to see doesn’t slip back as it has in the past. That’s the difference between a short-term fix and lasting change.
“Patients should receive timely advice, diagnosis and treatment through services that are designed around their needs, not around organisational boundaries.
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“Alongside additional capacity, we are supporting changes that make services more sustainable, including better referral management, increased diagnostic capacity, more surgical hub activity and improved follow-up arrangements.
“None of this is possible without the hard work and expertise of NHS staff. Their leadership sits at the heart of this approach, and every health board must now work together to deliver further improvements for patients.”
President Trump is celebrating that major tech companies have updated their mapping apps in line with his move to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America as part of the administration’s ongoing trade war with Canada.
“Apple Maps has just announced that it has changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, so now that very important change of names, between Google Maps and Apple Maps, is complete, ratified, and binding,” the president wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
“I know that the president reached out to Apple directly,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News on Monday.
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The Independent has contacted Apple for comment.
President Trump celebrated on Wednesday after Google Maps and Apple Maps renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America for U.S. users, in line with his administration’s position (Getty)
Google began showing American users the new name on Saturday, two days after the president’s executive order renaming the Great Lake in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System.
“These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now,” the company wrote in a blog post, noting that users outside the U.S. and Canada would see the lake listed as “Lake Ontario (Lake America).”
MapQuest, meanwhile, has said it’s not changing the name of Lake Ontario.
The mapping service, which began falling out of fashion with the rise of Google and Apple Maps, saw a surge in downloads amid the naming controversy.
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Canada, for its part, has strongly condemned the Trump administration’s actions.
The change in Apple Maps came after the Trump administration updated the name of Lake Ontario in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (@RealDonaldTrump/Truth Social)
“The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America,” Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X last month. “We know that America is changing. Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms. Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always.”
On Saturday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a large billboard on the Canadian side of the lake reading “Lake Ontario. Now and Always.”
The mapping dustup is part of a larger trade war between the U.S. and Canada, after negotiations between the historic allies broke down in mid-August.
The U.S. has imposed 50 percent tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods, and Canadian retaliatory measures of up to 50 percent will kick in next week.
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Other U.S. officials have joined the president in trolling the Canadians. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mocked Canada’s military online.
Canada has sharply criticized the move to rename Lake Ontario, and it has called on the U.S. to ‘stop doing memes’ and get back to resolving the ongoing trade war (The Canadian Press)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has threatened that Canada isn’t strong enough to go “tit for tat” with the larger U.S. economy.
President Trump, meanwhile, has shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social where he kicks over a “Welcome to Lake Ontario” sign and replaces it with one reading “Welcome to Lake America.”
Canada has called on the Trump administration to “stop doing memes” and get back to the bargaining table.
“When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions,” Carney said Tuesday. “It’s not constructive, but that’s their democracy.”
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The U.S. and Canada have a trading relationship valued at nearly $900 billion per year.
“Here we are, over two and a half years later, and we are met with the very same conditions. While the Executive has been restored, we have no Northern Ireland budget due to political stalemate. While the UK government has since acknowledged its role in underfunding Northern Ireland, it still refuses to provide us with funding equivalent to that in Scotland or Wales.”
“The residents nearby are just getting plagued with it.”
A new FIFA-standard Lisburn sports facility is being “plagued by boy racers” with a council set to look at night time closures.
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Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council recently invested £1.7m in the new Laurelhill Sports Zone with access provided to Laurelhill Community College and Killowen Primary School.
However, a local councillor has raised concerns of the adjoining car park being used for anti-social behaviour under the cover of darkness.
At this week’s communities and wellbeing committee, Killultagh DUP Alderman James Tinsley said:”At Laurelhill Sports Zone, there seems to be some issue around the evening time with people not playing sport, but causing a lot of hassle especially to local neighbours.
“Is there anything being done about this anti-social behaviour?”
A council officer responded: “We are aware of some anti-social behaviour occurring at night.
“There is a complex issue of access and we are working with two local schools and the Education Authority to find a solution.
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“I will provide a timescale as soon as I know.”
The council and school shared Laurelhill Sports Zone went through an extensive public consultation before planning was approved in late 2022.
The major development opened in mid 2025, next to Laurelhill Community College, which brought about a FIFA standard world class 3G sporting facility with soccer and training pitches including floodlighting and spectator areas.
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The sports zone widely used by both two local schools is also available for bookings from local clubs and the community.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service outside chambers, Alderman Tinsley added:”The council has recently invested in new pitches with a car park at Laurelhill.
“During the day people will use the pitches for their sports.
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“But what is happening is the area is being left open at night time and then all the little boy racers will turn up when it is dark making a pile of noise.
“The residents nearby are just getting plagued with it.
“So, we need to look at when the schools are closed and no one is using the pitches if we can close the area off.
“I welcome the joint up approach with the council, schools and police on what can be done.”
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
As The Moon moves into Gemini, passing bubbly Uranus, the energy shifts towards whimsy and play. You will crave some kind of excitement.
Aquarius, Sagittarius and Scoprio, tap into your most genuine connections today. Friendships and bonds will blossom beautifully.
While this placement is fun, sincerity is also key. Listen to what you are drawn to, beneath the surface.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Thursday September 3, 2026.
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To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.
Aries
March 21 to April 20
The Moon dances into Gemini and passes the electric, intuitive energies of Uranus. If things have felt laden, a spark of excitement takes hold, and you can enjoy a buzzy conversation, write a witty post, or come up with a fantastic brainwave. What today will not be is dull, or particularly predictable, so expect plenty of changes of mind and find it harder to focus.
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
April 21 to May 21
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It may have felt that one person, or people you know, have been resistant to you raising an issue which is important to you. And every time you have tried to share this, their deflection or subtle disapproval has blocked your flow. Today, you may decide to say it out loud and say it quickly. Rightly, the more you feel that they’re deflecting you, the more they will hear you.
You are not a slouch when it comes to flashes of insight, and they can get stronger as the day goes on. This can give you some very perceptive new angles on anything you have been grappling with and also encourage you to step away from any demands that are too cloying. If you naturally enjoy your own space, this part of your nature can be all the stronger.
Yours is a sign governed very much by intuition, and today, your sixth sense can be buzzing brightly away, but not perhaps in the way you expect it to. What can influence things is memories, experiences or even people, which can suddenly pop up in your thoughts. Some of these may be surprising, but if someone does come to mind, it could intrigue you as to why.
So, what you got planned for the upcoming weekend Leo? You could find yourself yearning to do something completely different, and with someone completely different. And somewhere else, someone feels the same. Look to break your usual weekly patterns and reach out to connect. It may be the first time for a while, or the first time of all, but will add spice.
Resisting change around work and worldly interactions may prove hard to resist just now. Just know you can drive the change as much as have it imposed on you. Today is a point in case. What may have seemed daunting can now seem like a genuine opportunity to seize the moment. If you’ve ever considered self-employment, it can become even more attractive.
Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today
Libra
September 24 to October 23
Even if you have set routines that you enjoy, like many of us do, breaking free of these and being more spontaneous can be like a breath of fresh air. Be it in the route to work, the meals you choose or what you watch online, changing things up can reinvigorate you. That said, if you do feel unable to do this, you may find it harder to concentrate on the job in hand.
You have a superb knack of instinctively sensing what might not be genuine and sincere. Today something can come up which illustrates this. Others might not spot what you do, and whether it’s a brilliant business opportunity, or someone being economical with the truth, you can arrow in fast. You just may need to marshal your frustration if others are slow to catch on.
We all have relationships, even if we are not currently in a close personal one. And this area of your situation has been given extra celestial zest since late April. But this may have made you restless. The upside of this is if you have broken away from a friend, associate or partner, it’s because it had grown stale. Conversely, who you meet now can bring a new spark.
You are one of the most industrious members of the zodiac, Capricorn, and part of your secret is your ability to be very disciplined in attending to tasks. Today, however, all that is routine can seem really quite dull, but the upside is that this can get you thinking about how you can freshen things up. New approaches could make things work more efficiently and fun too.
Aquarius is co-ruled by two planets. Steady Saturn gives you your appreciation of long-standing friendships. Uranus gives you your ability to spot trends in fashion and music but also see have quick changes of mood. Today that quirkier part of your nature can shine out, but so can your uniqueness. People can be drawn to you because you are so bright and different.
When was the last time you decluttered, Pisces? If it hasn’t been for a while, today would be an opportune time to do precisely this. And even items that hold sentimental value could be under review as an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new vibe shapes up. Likewise, if you feel a change of scenery would be good for you, you can make the moves to make this happen.
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A 64-year-old man died in hospital after he was found injured at a property in Fauldhouse.
21:36, 02 Sep 2026Updated 21:40, 02 Sep 2026
A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a death in a West Lothian village earlier this year.
Police were called to a property on Quarry Road in Fauldhouse at around 10.20am on Tuesday, February 3, after reports that a 64-year-old man had been found injured. Emergency services attended and the man was taken to hospital where he later died.
Seven months on, a 60-year-old man has now been arrested and charged in connection with his death. He is due to appear at Livingston Sheriff Court on Thursday, September 3.
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A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 60-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of a 64-year-old man in Fauldhouse, West Lothian. Around 10.20am on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, police were made aware of a man found injured at a property on Quarry Road.
“Emergency services attended and the 64-year-old was taken to hospital where he later died. The 60-year-old is due to appear at Livingston Sheriff Court on Thursday, September 3.”
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For Andy Burnham, walking into the bear pit that is Prime Minister’s Questions, it must have been hard to stay calm. His audience was a room of closely packed MPs, some hostile, some friendly – all very loud – many wanting to make a mark.
And the full audience for PMQs extends far beyond the MPs in the chamber. Prime ministers are thinking about the media, external groups, foreign governments, voters and financial markets. The reactions of any of these matter. The PM has the dual worry of dealing with opposition questions while also demonstrating his or her worth to the party members sitting behind them. Backbenchers can signal a lack of confidence through quietness or just not turning up.
It is no wonder that preparing for PMQs is, in itself, demanding. Alastair Campbell, who advised Tony Blair when he was opposition leader and in the early days of the New Labour government, is clear about just what it took. Preparation can take hours. Nerves don’t disappear. And it doesn’t appear to have got any easier in recent years.
Burnham is, of course, new to this. And unlike many in his position, he hasn’t had a chance to rehearse as opposition leader. He was wise to spend part of Tuesday’s return to parliament on a statement and a lengthy question-and-answer session. It gave him a warm-up for the main event.
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After Keir Starmer was ousted as prime minister, Labour MPs will be willing Burnham to show that he can succeed. So how did he do in his first PMQs, and what can we glean from it?
Restraint?
This was not a “full-blooded” PMQs. Burham chose not to mount attacks where others might have. A question from Reform UK’s Danny Kruger, for example, could have led to a reply focusing on the party’s reported problems. That it did not, may mean Burnham wants to move away from such attacks – or that he considers Reform less significant than it has been in recent years.
Burnham’s jibes at the Conservatives were not fierce either. He merely criticised past statements made by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and her shadow cabinet and sought to associate them with the economic failings of past governments. Prime Minister’s Questions is an adversarial event and it will be worth watching whether more obvious hostilities develop in future.
Sharper exchanges in turn end up generating sharper questions, so PMQs could move from point-scoring debate to abusive exchange. But Burnham may have some way to go to match David Cameron, who was identified by researchers as the rudest prime minister at PMQs.
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At length
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle warned that Burnham’s long answers may cause the session to overrun. Burnham clearly wanted to spend time on each answer, but this can be a blessing and a curse for a PM. Longer answers mean you can say everything you want. But sometimes the short, sharp reply is most effective at putting your opponent off their stride. The prime minister may have to learn brevity.
Into the bear pit. House of Commons, CC BY-NC-ND
Moving on
One of the tricks of dealing with difficult subjects is the “bridge”. That is, taking the topic and linking to something else that you actually do want to talk about. Burnham showed some ability here, linking at one point from a question about public spending to the needs of young people not in education, employment or training (Neets).
His bridge from the Bayeux Tapestry and French president Emmanuel Macron to small boat crossings didn’t work, however. He is clearly a bit rusty in the use of this technique.
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Are you listening?
Badenoch was keen to paint the PM as someone who won’t answer questions about spending, and as such as a PM who leans towards more tax and more spend. This may be the beginning of a strategy to frame him as vague and unwilling to commit to specific action in the face of obvious problems. Once an idea like this takes root, it is very hard to shift.
But neither Badenoch nor Burnham has the proper measure of the other yet, and it will take a few more outings before there is a sense of how successful this strategy may prove.
The right man for the job?
As Burnham did not ascend to Downing Street immediately after a run of other roles in parliament, or after a general election, he needed to make his experience clear. He name-checked things he had achieved or initiated, specifically in Greater Manchester, as a way of underlining his credentials.
These references, plus the use of “I”, were designed to demonstrate his ability to get things done, rather like the way it is used in job interviews. Using “I” instead of “my government” or “we” also demonstrates engagement with the topic.
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Play nicely
During some replies, Burnham touched on cross-party working, and made an on-the-spot pledge to meet Cornish MPs (not all of whom are Labour) for talks. Offering cross-party working can remove the sting from an attack and make the prime minister seem reasonable. This appears to be a feature of Burnham’s approach and it will be interesting to see if it develops into genuine cooperation with at least some other parties.
Prime ministers often say they want to change aspects of PMQs. Burnham himself has indicated that he wants a different, less Punch-and-Judy tone. Back in 1997, Tony Blair made the move from two shorter sessions a week to one longer one. Blair said he wanted a more considered approach, with more questions and more answers. Whether prime ministers get what they want, of course, is not entirely down to them. They may get the last word, but they don’t control the cast.
Multiple victims, including two police officers, have been involved in a shooting in downtown Minneapolis, according to city officials.
Minneapolis police rushed to the Loring Park neighborhood Wednesday afternoon in response to the shooting as city officials warned people on social media to avoid the area.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said his public safety team was also responding to the shooting.
“State officials are on the ground to support local law enforcement and we will share more information as it becomes available,” the Democrat wrote on X Wednesday evening.
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Multiple victims, including two police officers, have been involved in a shooting in downtown Minneapolis, according to city officials (Google Earth)
In a follow-up post, Walz said he was “grateful to law enforcement actively working to ensure the safety of our neighbors in Downtown Minneapolis this afternoon.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children returned to the UK in August
Husna Anjum Senior Reporter and Nick Lester (Press Association US Editor in Washington DC)
21:38, 02 Sep 2026Updated 21:38, 02 Sep 2026
Donald Trump reveals ‘what he would have done’ in reaction to Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK. The president believes the couple had treated the monarchy with “great disrespect” and if he was in the royal family he “would not have taken them back”.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, returned to the UK last week to begin a new life after six years living in the US. The family is said to be settling in the UK for an “extended period” of time amid speculation as to how long they will stay and where they will live.
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The Cotswolds being suggested as the most likely destination.
Asked in the White House about his reaction to the departure from the US of Harry and Meghan, Mr Trump said: “I’m happy about it. I was not a fan.”
He added: “I had a very good relationship with the Queen. Really good. I got to know her very well.
“A really good relationship with King Charles. I knew him as Prince Charles and King Charles. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s great, great guy.
“And I thought they treated the royal family with great disrespect. I didn’t like it.
“I didn’t like the way she acted. I thought she was terribly disrespectful to the Queen, to King Charles.
“I wouldn’t have taken them back. If I were in the royal family I would not have taken him back.”
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Harry and Meghan, who are remaining as non-working royals, quit the monarchy six years ago, relocating to the US from where they criticised members of the royal family and the institution.
The Sussexes’ dramatic U-turn was revealed last month, but the pair have yet to speak publicly about their plans.
Many questions remain unanswered, including whether taxpayers will foot the bill for their security.
Harry, a former soldier who served in Afghanistan, wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood last month asking her to take a personal role in determining if his family receive close police protection.
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham would previously not be drawn on Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements in the UK, saying the funding for it was a “private matter”.
Harry had insisted it was too dangerous to bring his wife and children to the UK with the security he was entitled to post-Megxit.
It is understood there have been at least six threats or plots concerning the duke from the Taliban, al Qaida or their supporters since 2007.
Last year, he lost a legal battle against the Home Office over the security arrangements for him and his family while in the UK, after his level of protection changed when he stopped being a working royal.
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Harry has argued he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with “additional layers of racism and extremism”.
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Brian Barry-Murphy has addressed Cardiff City’s failed transfer plans and the theory he was not backed, before reflecting on defeat at QPR
Brian Barry-Murphy has insisted he felt “nothing but great backing” from Cardiff City despite the club failing to bring in the striker and winger it had hoped to sign before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline.
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A theory had emerged among supporters that the Cardiff manager had not been adequately backed by the board, with the Bluebirds ultimately ending the window without adding the attacking reinforcements that had been on their agenda.
But Barry-Murphy was emphatic when asked whether a lack of backing had been responsible for Cardiff’s failure to complete those deals.
“No, we had a clear idea who we wanted to bring into the club,” he said. “We never felt anything but great backing from the club, but it wasn’t possible.”
The Bluebirds had hoped to emerge from deadline day with a striker and winger added to their squad, but neither deal materialised. Less than 24 hours later, they produced their poorest display of the campaign as Rumarn Burrell’s double condemned them to defeat at Loftus Road.
Asked about the transfer business for the first time since the window closed, Barry-Murphy was keen to draw a line under it.
“I don’t really. My focus since last night is obviously on the game and I remained focused on that,” he said. “It’s in the past and there’s nothing I can do now.”
He acknowledged, however, that he had expected Cardiff to bring players in and explained why he had been selective rather than willing to add players simply to increase his numbers.
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“I thought we would be able to bring players in, but it wasn’t the case,” he said.
“I would always respond to our supporters with the truth. We had an idea of what players we wanted to bring in, it wasn’t possible.
“I think we still have a lot of very talented young players, very talented young Welsh players predominantly, and any player that we do want to bring into the club always has to be with the intention of improving the squad and team.
“If that’s not possible then I’m not a great believer in bringing in players just for the sake of it.”
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That stance will be tested after a night when Cardiff looked short of the attacking quality required to hurt QPR.
Barry-Murphy admitted his side simply failed to reach the standards they have set themselves this season, with their lack of intensity and technical quality proving costly.
“Yeah, a very disappointing match for me,” he said. “I think we didn’t quite have the level technically that we normally have, but disappointed to concede the goal we did and try as hard as we did in the second half, we couldn’t get it back.”
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QPR repeatedly exposed Cardiff when they gave the ball away, with Burrell opening the scoring before doubling the advantage early in the second half.
“We knew they would be on the counter-attack when we gave the ball away and to play the way we want to play, you have to be good technically,” Barry-Murphy said.
“But in the first half, our intensity wasn’t where it would normally be and as such we gave the ball away in dangerous situations and in the second half that continued.”
Perry Ng’s spectacular 25-yard strike gave Cardiff hope, but they could not find an equaliser despite a late push.
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Barry-Murphy acknowledged the number of chances Cardiff conceded was a concern, but insisted his players could not be afraid to play in the manner he demands.
“The players can’t be afraid to play, we’ve played many successful phases like that, but tonight we weren’t quite at our best technically like I said when we gave the ball away,” he said.
“We suffered as a consequence. You saw how good we were in the second half when we got the ball wide and created good chances, but not enough.”
The result means Cardiff now have to respond quickly, with Portsmouth waiting at Fratton Park on Saturday.
Barry-Murphy knows another step up in performance will be required.
“We need to improve, we need to play better,” he said. “We’re not naïve, we know parts of our game weren’t at the level we would need to win games and keep you out of a really good team, and so are Portsmouth, so we have to be at our best.
“I have full belief in the players. I think we’ll do really well, but setbacks are part of the journey.”
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