Town came from two goals down at half-time to defeat QPR 4-2 in a thriller at Loftus Road. The Blues had been in front through Jason De Vos but Paul Furlong (2) put the home side in front. However, second half goals from Darren Bent, debutant Darren Currie and Shefki Kuqi won the points.

New signing Currie was left on the bench with the starting eleven the same as faced Crewe last week.

The Blues came close to going in front in the fifth minute when a slip at the back allowed Darren Bent to feed Ian Westlake, keeper Chris Day doing well to block his shot.

Day was again in action four minutes later when Tommy Miller seized on a loose ball on the edge of the area, hitting a powerful shot which Day saved well.

Town continued to put on the pressure and Day again prevented his side from going behind when tipped Richard Naylor's header from a Miller corner over the bar.

Day was there again on 17, pushing Darren Bent's header over the bar after Fabian Wilnis's cross had been flicked on at the near post.

QPR finally threatened the Town goal on 20, former Town trainee Adam Miller sending a dangerous freekick from the left but no one got the vital touch.

Keeper Day made another fine save in the 24th minute, blocking Darren Bent's shot on the turn from Kelvin Davis's long kick.

Town's persistence finally paid off on 25. QPR failed to deal with a corner from the left, Darren Bent heading back from the right, Kuqi nodding back into the middle and Jason De Vos netting from close range.

However, within a minute Rangers were back on terms. The Town backline gave Pal Furlong too much time and space 25 yards out and the former Chelsea frontman beat Kelvin Davis with a powerful shot to his left.

On the half hour the home side went ahead, with only their second shot of the game. Richard Naylor failed to deal with a long ball, Kevin Gallen laying the ball off to Furlong who hit another fine strike 25-yard strike, Kelvin Davis getting a hand on the ball but failing to prevent it rippling the net.

Rangers' lead was very much against the run of play but gave Ian Holloway's men confidence and Adam Miller hit a speculative shot which gave Kelvin Davis little trouble.

On 40, Gallen should have added to the lead but his first time shot from Gino Padula's cross went wide. Soon after, the same player shot over when well-placed inside the penalty area having been found by former Blue Georges Santos.

Town didn't deserve to go in behind at the break, especially on the balance of the first 20 minutes when they could have been two or even three goals up but for the heroics of Chris Day in the QPR goal.

Joe Royle made one change at half-time, Matt Richards replacing Drissa Diallo, as at Crewe last week, with Fabian Wilnis moving to right-back.

Town should have been on terms in the 49th minute. Darren Bent was sent away one-on-one with the keeper by Kuqi but the England U21 put the ball wide of the post.

Four minutes later, Tommy Miller's shot deflected to keeper Day, before Kevin Horlock picked up his fifth yellow card of the season for a foul on Gareth Ainsworth. Horlock will now miss the home game with Wigan.

A minute later Horlock made way for new signing Darren Currie, the former Brighton man moving to a left midfield position and Ian Westlake into the centre.

In the 58th minute Currie made the first of two telling marks on the game. The Beckham of the lower leagues, as he was once dubbed, chipped a ball from the left to Kuqi. The Finn laid the ball back to Darren Bent whose shot deflected off a defender and into the net. The entire Town team celebrated with a strange above-heads clapping celebration.

QPR might have gone in front again in the 63rd minute when an excellent Matt Richards tackle fell to Gallen on the edge of his box, Davis saving to his right and Wilnis clearing to safety.

On 68 Currie made his second pivotal contribution. The 30-year-old played the ball inside to Bent just outside the area, then received the ball back, took a touch and sent a curling shot beyond Day, a slight deflection helping it on its way. The Town players celebrated by bundling on top of the debutant in front of the Blue support.

The result was sealed in the 72nd minute when Jason De Vos flicked on Fabian Wilnis's throw, Shefki Kuqi hitting a volley on the turn which saw Day beaten for the fourth time.

New hero Currie had an audacious 30-yarder tipped over before Westlake sent through Bent, the striker perhaps caught in two minds whether to shoot or cross and the ball went wide.

The noise came from the large contingent of Town fans at the end, the Blues' promotion aspirations looking more and more serious as the weeks go by.

Debut-goalscorer Darren Currie made an important contribution and looks to be a fine acquisition. While by no means the most mobile of players, he showed he has great touch and ability on the ball, his dead-ball delivery was excellent, as were the chipped pass for Bent's goal and his own later strike.

Four points from two away games is a more than adequate return, especially a win against one of the sides in the play-off zone. The home game against Wigan on December 21st promises to be another classic.

Town: Davis, Diallo (Richards 46), De Vos, Naylor, Horlock (Currie 55), Miller, Magilton, Westlake, Bent, Kuqi.

Photo: Action Images

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