QPR 2-0 Southend
Martin Rowlands and Nick Ward scored as QPR resisted a second-half resurgence from Championship new-boys Southend to register their first win of the season.
The hosts were rampant in the first 45, with Lee Cook, Gareth Ainsworth and new signing Dexter Blackstock going close.
And they got their reward when Rowlands lashed into the roof of the net from 25 yards, before Ward tapped in a second.
However, Southend came out fighting and but for wasteful finishing from Freddy Eastwood, might have got something.
The in-form striker's best chance of many came when he latched onto Lee Bradbury's pass to run in on goal, but Paul Jones blocked his goal-bound effort late in the second half.
But the hosts deserved their victory, if only for their first-half performance when Blackstock twice forced keeper Darryl Flahavan into action and Ainsworth saw a 25-yarder tipped wide.
Rangers finally went in front in the 31st minute when Rowlands latched onto Cook's short free-kick to lash home, before Ward met Ray Jones' knock-back to tap in for his first QPR goal 10 minutes later.
And despite continuing to create chances in a pulsating second half, the hosts were grateful for that two-goal lead as Eastwood got behind their defence on several occasions, though the 22-year-old's usual coolness abandoned him at Loftus Road.
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QPR boss Gary Waddock:
\"Some of our football in the first half was outstanding.
\"But now we have to learn to maintain that standard for longer periods, not just for 45 minutes.
\"You rarely dominate a game for the whole 90 minutes, and Southend are a good team who came back into the game in the second half.\"
Southend boss Steve Tilson:
\"QPR made life difficult for us in the first half, but we should have scored at least one goal because we had the chances.
\"We know it's going to be a tough year but the spirit we showed in the second half shows we can compete.
\"We are going to need an excellent team spirit and togetherness to get through this season.\"
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QPR: Paul Jones, Rowlands (Lomas 55), Rose, Rehman, Milanese, Ainsworth, Stewart, Blackstock, Cook, Ray Jones (Gallen 75), Ward.
Subs Not Used: Cole, Baidoo, Kanyuka.
Booked: Blackstock, Rose, Ray Jones.
Goals: Rowlands 31, Ward 41.
Southend: Flahavan (Collis 44), Francis, Prior, Barrett, Hammell, Maher, Gower, Guttridge, Campbell-Ryce, Bradbury (Paynter 72), Eastwood.
Subs Not Used: Hunt, Clarke, Lawson.
Booked: Guttridge.
Att: 12,368
Ref: I Williamson (Berkshire).
