Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neill insisted justice was done after Costel Pantilimon’s late penalty save secured a 1-0 win at QPR.
The home side were given a chance to equalise when former R’s defender Jack Robinson was adjudged to have handled Josh Scowen’s corner.
Forest protested furiously, arguing that the ball had come off the head of Rangers striker Matt Smith.
Nahki Wells stepped up but was unable to find a way past keeper Pantilimon, who dived to his left to push away the spot-kick.
It meant Karim Ansarifard’s well worked goal, scored 10 minutes into the second half, gave Forest a first away win since November.
O’Neill said: “Whether it’s a penalty or not seems to be debatable. I would have been very disappointed if we’d have conceded a goal from it.
“Robbo is absolutely convinced that he didn’t touch the ball at all. It seems as if it’s come off their centre-forward’s head.
“QPR threw everything at us but I think the most clear-cut chances fell to us. The goal that we worked was terrific.
“I thought we played some delightful stuff and the goal itself was in essence of that.”
The goal was beautifully created, with Joe Lolley, Matty Cash and Joao Carvalho involved in the build-up before Ansarifard slotted home.
O’Neill said: “I’m delighted to win the game, to win away from home for the first time for a long, long time, and it’s back-to-back wins for us too – so all of those monkeys off our back.
“It was a great goal to win the game and we had to withstand a lot of pressure. They exerted a great deal of pressure on us but we withstood it and Pantilimon then makes a big save for us.”