Two goals in a blistering first nine minutes from George Hirst and Jaden Philogene and a late effort from Kasey McAteer saw the Blues to a comfortable 3-0 victory over QPR at Portman Road and to the three points they needed to secure their return to the Premier League after just one season away. Hirst tapped in from close range in the third minute, before teeing-up Philogene on nine with the result and Town’s third promotion in four years never in any doubt from there with McAteer adding some gloss and settling any late nerves with five minutes remaining.

Boss Kieran McKenna, who has now masterminded two promotions to the top flight and three in total, both more than any other Blues manager, made two changes from the team which drew 2-2 at Southampton on Tuesday with Jack Taylor and Hirst returning to the XI.

Taylor, who missed the draw at Southampton with a knee injury, came into central midfield with Hirst as the number nine and Dan Neil and Ivan Azon dropping to the bench.

QPR, who had nothing to play for on the final day, made three changes from the team which lost 3-2 at home to Derby County last weekend with keeper Joe Walsh, Nicolas Madsen and Ilias Chair coming into the team and Paul Smyth dropping to the bench and Paul Nardi and Richard Kone out of the squad.

After receiving a huge welcome onto the pitch from home fans, the Blues got straight at it, Taylor creating the first chance for Leif Davis in the second minute. The left-back was fed into the left of the area but QPR keeper Walsh was out quickly to block.

The Blues maintained their blistering start and a minute later they went in front. After pressing the QPR backline into losing possession, Taylor played in the overlapping Davis, whose low cross was diverted against Walsh by Jake Clarke-Salter and Hirst tapped in his 11th goal of the season to send Portman Road wild.

Having got off to the best possible start, the Blues went looking for a second goal, Philogene forcing Walsh to bat away his shot from the edge of the area.

On seven, Burns was played in down the right and crossed for Philogene, whose shot was again stopped by Walsh.

But Town fans didn’t have to wait too much longer for their side to increase their lead. In the ninth minute, ex-Rangers defender Darnell Furlong played the ball forward for Marcelino Nunez, who moved it on to Hirst on the edge of the box, the Scotland international finding Philogene only eight yards out from where the ex-Aston Villa man turned inside Amadou Mbengue before stabbing into the corner of the net.

Portman Road erupted once again, Philogene having netted his 13th goal of his season and 11th at home.

QPR, who had been under the cosh from the off, managed a shot at goal in the 12th minute, Madsen hitting an effort from distance which Walton claimed comfortably.

Following their blistering start, the Blues began to play more conservatively while remaining well in control of the game. Just after the half-hour, Philogene crossed deep from the left, Hirst nodded down and Furlong shot over under pressure.

On 35, the visitors, still to have a touch in the Town area, tried to work an opening on the left but Madsen’s under-hit shot from 20 yards failed to test Walton.

Three minutes later, Harvey Vale blazed over from just outside the box to the right with Town having become a little sloppy and in the 40th minute the Blues repeatedly failed to clear, a Vale strike from the right of the area deflecting wide for a corner after Jonathan Varane and Mbengue efforts had been blocked.

But Town quickly steadied the ship, taking the game more to the West Londoners again, Hirst and Philogene winning free-kicks in the visitors’ half.

Cheers and applause greeted the half-time whistle, the Blues having put themselves in touching distance of a return to the Premier League with a fantastic start.

Town might even have scored before Hirst’s third-minute opener, then Philogene forced two saves prior to his goal.

Having secured their two-goal lead, the Blues dropped their attacking intensity, perhaps too much allowing QPR a sniff at goal on a couple of occasions just after the half hour, however, without any really serious concerns.

Rangers made two changes ahead of the second half, Smyth taking over from Madsen and Tylon Smith from Clarke-Salter.

Hirst cut into the area from the left and shot from the edge soon after the restart but Walsh saved down to his left. Furlong was issued with the game’s first yellow card for a foul on sub Smyth.

Town showed more sloppiness and the crowd some nervousness on 48 as the Blues conceded a corner on the left.

Three minutes later, sub Smyth brought the ball a long way forward to just outside the area before being upended by Jacob Greaves, who was fortunate to avoid a yellow card. Chair curled the resultant free-kick over.

The crowd, sensing the need to inject some impetus, upped the volume and in the 53rd minute, the Blues forced their first save of the second half, Matusiwa lifting a pass for Philogene on the left of the box and the forward hooking a shot goalwards which Walsh pawed away to his left.

Smyth made another positive run in the 58th minute, making it to the edge of the box before hitting shot which Walton saved down to his left, the keeper’s first serious stop of the afternoon. Skipper Dara O’Shea did well to reach the loose ball first and put it behind, and was fouled by Daniel Bennie.

Town made their first changes of the afternoon in the 62nd minute with tiring widemen Philogene and Burns, perhaps making his last appearance for the club with his contract up this summer and receiving the deserved ovation given his contribution in his five years at the club, making way for Jack Clarke and Kasey McAteer. QPR swapped Chair for Koki Saito.

The subs reinvigorated the Blues and in the 69th minute Clarke was sent away on the left and broke into the area before scuffing his shot wide.

Town made two more changes a minute later with Hirst, who will hope to have done enough in the latter stages of the season to make Scotland’s World Cup squad, and Nunez taking their leave for Azon and Anis Mehmeti.

The Blues might have bagged a third two minutes after the changes, Taylor finding Clarke in the area, the winger moving it on to Mehmeti, who scraped a shot across the face towards Azon but behind the Spaniard with the linesman in any case raising his flag.

As the game moved into its final 15 minutes, Vale was found in a promising position at the back of the Town box but inexplicably headed the ball back in the direction it had come from. Rather fortuitously, it reached Saito, whose shot was blocked by his own player, Bennie. Davis was subsequently yellow-carded for a trip in the build-up.

Skipper O’Shea was close to making it 3-0 in the 77th minute, the Irish international, who has played every minute of the season, nodding across the face and just wide from Davis’s free-kick on the left. On 80, Isak Alemayehu replaced Kieran Morgan for the visitors.

With the stewards starting to assemble around the Portman Road pitch and the crowd’s anticipation of the final whistle palpable, Walton made his biggest save of the afternoon, Smyth hitting a powerful effort that the keeper saved to his left, Bennie sending the rebound well over before being replaced by Leon Scarlett.

And two minutes later, the Blues settled any nerves there might have been by scoring their third goal.

QPR were caught in possession just outside their area, Azon battling to win it before Mehmeti stabbed into the middle for the on-rushing Taylor, who may have been fouled by Mbengue, but the ball ran loose to McAteer, who stroked his third goal in three home games into the net from a few yards out.

The former Leicester City man, his teammates and the whole of Portman Road celebrated ecstatically, their return to the Premier League having been confirmed. Neil replaced Taylor for the final few minutes.

Town continued to look for goals, Neil shooting across the face and wide with the game in the third of four additional minutes.

Moments later, referee Gavin Ward blew his whistle for the final time, confirming promotion back to the Premier League, the Blues support running on the pitch to celebrate in a manner which has become familiar in recent years.

The result was never really in doubt on the day, Town attacking the game from the off and giving themselves a lead which would prove unassailable, McAteer’s late goal confirming that the Blues will be in the Premier League once again next season.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa, Taylor (Neil 85), Burns (McAteer 62), Nunez (Mehmeti 70), Philogene (Clarke 62), Hirst (Azon 70). Unused: Palmer, Johnson, Kipré, Neil, Akpom.

QPR: Walsh, Mbengue, Edwards (c), Clarke-Salter, Norrington-Davies, Madsen (Smyth 46), Morgan (Alemayehu 80), Varane, Chair (Saito 62), Vale, Bennie (Scarl. Unused: Salamon, Adamson, Esquerdinha, Hayden. Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey). Att: 29,636.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters