QPR 3 vs Leicester City 1
The R's revival continued on New Year's Day, as fellow strugglers Leicester City were put to the sword at a raucous Loftus Road.
In a one-sided first half, Damion Stewart opened the scoring with his fourth goal in seven outings, before Adam Bolder made it 2-0 with a close range header.
Dexter Blackstock all but guaranteed maximum points for the hosts when soared to head home number three, and although Iain Hume pulled a goal back with a spectacular free-kick, the R's made it nine points out of 12 over the festive period - and in some style too.
Luigi De Canio made two changes following the 4-2 victory against Watford three days earlier.
Akos Buzsaky and Rowan Vine returned to the starting XI, at the expense of Angelo Balanta and Marc Nygaard.
Former R's boss Ian Holloway handed Barry Hayles his Leicester debut, but fellow new-boy Steve Howard had to make do with a place amongst the Foxes substitutes.
Buoyed by his two-goal cameo in the final match of 2007, Martin Rowlands was soon back in the groove in W12.
A neat piece of close control in the heart of the R's midfield gave him the space to ping an inch-perfect ball out wide to Gareth Ainsworth, who in turn fizzed the ball across goal.
The Foxes only half cleared their lines and Bolder followed up to sting the palms of visiting custodian Paul Henderson.
At the other end, Hume's speculative 25-yard free-kick had Lee Camp scrambling across his goal, but thankfully the ball faded wide of the right hand upright.
The Rangers faithful didn't have to wait too long to see their side score their first goal of 2008 though, as Stewart notched his fifth of the season in the 16th minute.
Buzsaky inevitably played his part, sending in an inviting corner to the edge of the six-yard box, which Stewart met on the full and powered home beyond the despairing dive of Henderson.
Encouraged to attack at every given opportunity by the expressive De Canio, Blackstock headed onto the roof of the net from Ainsworth's volleyed cross, before Vine's audacious 20th minute flicked effort flew inches wide of the post.
De Canio's bold approach was rewarded with a second goal in the 27th minute, as Bolder finished off a free-flowing attacking move with a close range header.
Rowlands' expansive 40-yard cross-field pass found Vine, who with time to look up, delivered a textbook cross to the far post.
Blackstock hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity, before heading back across goal to the R's skipper, who nodded into an empty net for the easiest goal he's ever likely to score.
Holloway reacted by bringing on Howard for the unlucky Joe Mattock in the 32nd minute, as the Foxes switched to an attacking 4-3-3 formation.
But it was Rangers who continued to orchestrate proceedings up until the break, with Blackstock glancing the ball inches wide of Henderson's left hand post.
To their credit, the Foxes come out of the traps quickly after the break.
Howard thrashed a fearsome 25-yard drive off the face of the post, but despite their improved offering, it was the hosts who grabbed the all-important third goal of the game in the 56th minute.
Vine's majestic wide play saw him get to the by-line and when Blackstock rose above a static Leicester rearguard, there was only ever going to be one outcome, as the R's number nine headed home his second goal of the campaign.
Leicester were by no means down and out though, as Hume reduced the arrears with a sublime 30-yard free-kick just three minutes later.
Camp stood no chance as the ball nestled in the top corner of the net, to the delight of the 600 or so Foxes fans that made the New Years Day journey down from the Midlands.
Howard squandered a glorious chance to bag his first goal for his new Club when he glanced a header wide 15 minutes from time, but in truth, that was as good as it got for the visitors, as Rangers kick-started 2008 with a convincing home victory.
QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Bolder (Nygaard 74), Blackstock (Walton 92), Buzsaky, Ainsworth (Mahon 67), Rowlands, Malcolm, Vine, Rehman.
Subs: Cole, Balanta.
Scorers: Stewart 16, Bolder 27, Blackstock 56
Bookings: Bolder 44
Leicester City: Henderson, Chambers (Wesolowski 57), Kisnorbo, N'Gotty (Sheehan 62), McAuley, Clemence, Hume, Fryatt, Stearman, Mattock (Howard 32), Hayles.
Subs: Hayes, Kenton.
Scorers: Hume 59
Bookings: Wesolowski 83, Hayles 91
Referee: Mr P Miller
Attendance: 13, 326
