NICKY Maynard s late strike gave Bristol City a deserved three points at Ashton Gate as Rangers suffered their first loss under Jim Magilton. Magilton reshuffled his forward line, but the changes had little effect as the Rs rarely troubled City keeper Dea

NICKY Maynard's late strike gave Bristol City a deserved three points at Ashton Gate as Rangers suffered their first loss under Jim Magilton.

Magilton reshuffled his forward line, but the changes had little effect as the Rs rarely troubled City keeper Dean Gerken.

The Robins looked the better side by some way and should have been in front long before Maynard rifled a 20-yarder past Radek Cerny with 12 minutes remaining.

Argentinian midfielder Alejandro Faurlin finally made his QPR debut, but was unable to inspire his new team-mates and Cerny saved from Maynard early on before Akos Buzsaky cleared Lewin Nyatanga's header off the line.

Danny Haynes and Bradley Orr were narrowly off target for the home side, but it was Rangers who came closest to breaking the deadlock just after half-time.

Wayne Routledge's cross found Adel Taarabt, whose finish crashed against the woodwork - and from then on City resumed control.

And Maynard, having opened the scoring, could have clinched the win with a low drive that whizzed just wide soon afterwards.

Gerken had to scramble away a close-range effort from Mikele Leigertwood in added time, but it was too little too late for the Rs, who have taken just two points from their first three league games.

QPR: Cerny; Ramage, Stewart, Hall, Borrowdale; Routledge, Leigertwood, Buzsaky, Faurlin (Helguson 85); Taarabt (Vine 66), Agyemang (Pellicori 67).