WAYNE Routledge became the first QPR player to score a hat-trick for five years as Rangers cruised into the second round of the Carling Cup. Routledge s treble at St James Park on Tuesday was the first by any Rs player since Jamie Cureton put Coventry to

WAYNE Routledge became the first QPR player to score a hat-trick for five years as Rangers cruised into the second round of the Carling Cup.

Routledge's treble at St James Park on Tuesday was the first by any Rs player since Jamie Cureton put Coventry to the sword in September 2004.

And the rout of their League One opponents was Rangers' biggest win since they thrashed Blackpool by the same scoreline on the opening day of the 2003-04 campaign.

After a fairly lacklustre first half, Routledge broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, running onto Mikele Leigertwood's through ball and chipping Exeter goalkeeper Paul Jones.

It took the winger just eight minutes to double the Rs' advantage with another cool finish from an angle after Patrick Agyemang had set him up.

And Routledge completed the first hat-trick of his career only five minutes later, beating Jones from the penalty spot after defender Scott Golbourne had been shown the red card for handling a Kaspars Gorkss header on the line.

Routledge was substituted shortly afterwards, along with Rowan Vine and Agyemang, and it was one of the new arrivals who grabbed Rangers' fourth goal with five minutes left.

Alessandro Pellicori, making his debut after the details of his transfer had finally been ironed out, tapped in his first QPR goal after Gorkss had nodded down Akos Buszaky's cross.

There was still time for the Rs to snatch a fifth, with Hogan Ephraim rifling home from outside the area to round off the night in style.

QPR: Cerny; Connolly, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Routledge (Ainsworth 66), Leigertwood, Buszaky, Ephraiml; Vine (Pellicori 66), Agyemang (Mahon 71).