QPR secured their first victory in a London derby at the 17th attempt as they coasted past near rivals Brentford on Saturday at Loftus Road.
Junior Hoilett’s stunning first-half strike set the Rs on their way, before strikes from Sebastian Polter and Tjaronn Chery after the break ensured they ended their London derby hoodoo in superb fashion.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink named an unchanged line-up to the one which beat play-off chasing Derby County 2-0 on Tuesday night, while Brentford made one change with Alan McCormack recalled to the starting XI at the expense of Marco Djuricin.
Rangers - who were eyeing a third straight home win for the first time since December 2014 - started the brighter early on as they looked to gain the momentum.
It was the Bees who went the closest to taking the lead on 14 minutes though, with Sergi Canos’s right-footed effort from inside the box going just wide of the post after Gabriele Angella’s poor cross-field pass was intercepted by the Liverpool loanee near the centre circle.
Two minutes later and the Rs nearly made the breakthrough themselves through the impressive Chery. The Dutchman done well to shrug off his attacker before his close-range effort was beaten away by David Button, with the ball deflecting off the former and out for a goal kick.
Rangers went close again through the industrious Hoilett on 26 minutes, with his drilled effort forcing Button into a smart save in the visiting goal.
Up the other end Alan Judge’s long-range effort whistled just wide of Alex Smithies far post as the game remained goalless heading into the half-hour mark.
Canos went close for Dean Smith’s men yet again as the half wore on, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort into the side netting, with the travelling Bees faithful celebrating what they thought was the opener.
But it was Hasselbaink’s men who crucially broke the deadlock seven minutes before the break with Hoilett notching his sixth goal of the season.
The Canadian was given the time and space to pick his spot outside the area as he curled a glorious right-footed effort into the top corner to give Rangers the lead.
To Brentford’s credit they went straight up the other end in search of an equaliser wih Ryan Woods’ stinging drive rebounding offf the post, which had Smithies beaten all ends up.
Chery’s audacious effort a minute before the break was then collected by Button as the Rs went into the half-time interval a goal to the good - and leading a London derby for the first time since April 2014 when they took on Millwall at Loftus Road.
The Bees went agonisingly close to levelling proceedings eight minutes after the interval, with Alan Judge cutting in from the right and his left-footed strike was inches away from nestling into the top corner and bringing the Bees level.
That was as good as it got for Smith’s men as the Rs doubled their lead on 66 minutes. Polter - who again lead the line admirably - broke through on goal and smashed the ball home clinically from close range for his sixth goal of the season and first in nine matches.
Two soon became three five minutes later with Chery adding gloss to the scoreline after taking full advantage of poor Brentford defending and firing a left-footed shot past Button.
Smithies denied Smith’s team a consolation goal when he tipped over a late shot from Konstantin Kerschbaumer, while Hoilett hit the side netting in injury time as the Rs secured back-to-back home successes on a day to remember for the home faithful.
QPR: Smithies; Onuoha, Angella, Hill, Perch; Henry (El Khayati 82), Faurlin; Phillips, Chery (Luongo 73), Hoilett; Polter (Mackie 85).
Subs not used: Ingram, Kpekawa, Tozser, Washington.
Attendance: 17,894
Away fans: 3,026
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