Adama Traore scored his first goal for Middlesbrough as they strolled to victory at Loftus Road – their third consecutive away win.
Daniel Ayala’s header and George Friend’s brilliant strike put them in control by half-time and Traore sealed their win with five minutes remaining.
They went ahead when Ben Gibson flicked on Grant Leadbitter’s 24th-minute corner and Ayala nodded home unchallenged at the far post.
Friend doubled the visitors’ lead 11 minutes later, smashing a left-footed shot from 25 yards beyond keeper Alex Smithies and into the top corner of the net.
It prompted Ian Holloway to send centre-back Joel Lynch up front until half-time, when the QPR boss made a double substitution, bringing on target man Matt Smith and winger Bright Osayi-Samuel.
But Middlesbrough, in their fifth match under manager Tony Pulis, rarely looked troubled.
And Traore made sure of the points by slotting past Smithies after being put through by Rudy Gestede.
Boro are the only side in the Championship yet to drop points from a winning position this season – and they never looked like doing so once in control against the R’s.
Early on, QPR’s Jack Robinson and Traore fired wide during a cagey start to the game.
However, once they went in front the visitors were largely comfortable.
Conor Washington did have a decent chance to pull a goal back shortly before the interval but shot straight at keeper Darren Randolph after being found by Robinson’s long ball.
Early in the second half, Rangers captain Nedum Onuoha sliced a shot high and wide of the target.
Massimo Luongo went closer with a right-footed half-volley and Smith header over from Luke Freeman’s left-wing corner, but Holloway’s team struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Boro would have added a third goal with 13 minutes remaining but for Robinson’s goal-line clearance.
Gestede, on as a substitute, shot past Smithies after being set up by Jonny Howson, but Robinson was on hand to deny the striker what would have been his first league goal since August.
Both keepers produced late stops shortly before Traore’s cool finish.
Randolph was down quickly to deny Lynch at close range before Smithies dived to his left to keep out a header from the lively Gestede, whose clever assist led to the third goal.
It was only the third goal of Spanish winger Traore’s senior career – and his first in the league.
QPR: Smithies, Onuoha, Lynch, Robinson, Furlong, Scowen (Eze 70), Luongo, Freeman, Bidwell (Osayi-Samuel 45), Oteh (Smith 45), Washington.
Subs not used: Ingram, Manning, Baptiste, Wszolek.
This post was last modified on 20/01/2018
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So we gave them a good game for the first 15 minutes? What happened to the other 75? All we hear is excuse after excuse. We need to score more goals or we are going down (again) at the end of this season.
QPR
Tried their best but lacked quality and direction.
Hard to take such a performance where you know there is little likelihood of improvement.
There is no lack of commitment but simply quality.
Unless the fair play penalty is paid QPR will fade away.
I sat with my son and saw the faithful file out 10 minutes before time there average age was 60+.
Where are the youngsters, QPR need to sort this out, let them in free!
Perhaps first QPR must invigorate the team.
The stadium and team are tired someone inject some life into QPR.
Let’s dream of a new stadium and team
new blood is now desperate or we will all
disappear without trace.
Today we commemorated a number of QPR players who have died , l wonder what they would make of the current QPR set up.