Town's worst performance of the season saw QPR come away from Portman Road with a 2-0 win and the Blues drop to third. Town rarely threatened after Kelvin Davis gifted a goal to Paul Furlong in the fourth minute. The visitors netted another through Dan Shittu in the second half.

As expected, all three of this week's injury worries - Fabian Wilnis, Kevin Horlock and Darren Bent - were fit enough to take their places in the starting line-up. Town's only change was Darren Currie returning to the side on the left of midfield and Ian Westlake dropping to the bench.

Pablo Couñago returned to the 16 for the first time in a month, Matt Richards dropping out of the squad completely for the first time since September. QPR included former Blue Georges Santos in the centre of midfield.

Rangers went ahead in the fourth minute. Paul Furlong had been penalised for a dive when under pressure from Jason De Vos inside the Town area. Kelvin Davis slipped and mis-hit thefreekick straight at the veteran striker, the ball striking his head and falling at his feet. The former Chelsea man, who scored twice in Town's 4-2 win at Loftus Road, took a couple of touches before finding the net.

It was a howler of the worst order, one which fans hoped wouldn't be as costly as Davis's similar gaffe in the home game against West Ham.

Town went looking for an equaliser and came close two minutes later when Kevin Horlock found James Scowcroft on the right, the striker scraping the ball across the face of goal and wide.

On the quarter hour there was more bad news for Town when Jason De Vos picked up his fifth yellow card of the season for a foul on Furlong. The Canadian will now miss next week's away game with Wigan. Striker James Scowcroft is also out of that game for the same reason.

Long-serving QPR striker Kevin Gallen went high and wide before Scowcroft headed Currie's deep cross weakly to keeper Simon Royce.

Like Watford earlier in the week, QPR had come with a game plan to frustrate Town and deny the Blues' midfield space. This led to a lot of hopeful long balls forward towards Scowcroft, however, the loanee had little success against the impressive Dan Shittu.

QPR had the ball in the net again in the 22nd minute through Marc Bircham, but referee Andy D'Urso had seen Furlong's somewhat blatant push on David Unsworth in the build-up.

Town had created few chances, despite having most of the ball, but on 25 Darren Bent might have done better when found at the far post by Darren Currie's deep corner. The striker should have headed the ball back across goal but failed to make proper contact and sent the ball out of play.

Soon after, Currie found some space on the left and cut in before shooting. Unfortunately for Town, Royce was well-placed and blocked.

By now Rangers were under constant Town pressure and in the 29th minute Tommy Miller might have done better when he lashed Scowcroft's knockdown over the bar. Six minutes later, a Fabian Wilnis long throw was flicked on by Jason De Vos and Scowcroft sent an overhead kick over the bar.

Another disappointing half from the Blues, despite the late pressure. A not dissimilar performance to the one against Watford in the week. QPR will have gone in at the break having felt that the job was half done, the Londoners having taken their chance and prevented Town from creating anything too clear-cut of their own.

Five minutes after the break James Scowcroft picked up his third yellow card in his three games back with the Blues, for a foul on Richard Edghill. Three minutes later Edghill got his name in the book for a revenge late tackle on the big striker.

With the Blues having failed to create a serious opportunity in the opening nine minutes of the second period, manager Joe Royle made two changes, Ian Westlake and Pablo Couñago replacing skipper Jim Magilton and James Scowcroft.

There was little goalmouth action at either end, Town still yet to find anything like their rhythm in midfield and QPR happy to sit back on their lead, former Blue Georges Santos proving to be amongst their most impassable obstacles.

A rare Rangers foray forward saw Martin Rowlands fire just wide from 20 yards. Former Town youth trainee Adam Miller tried a 30-yarder in the 67th minute but went wide.

Rangers scored their second goal in the 75th minute when referee Andy D'Urso, as inconsistent and mistake-prone as ever, harshly awarded a freekick for a Pablo Couñago challenge on Lee Cook. Martin Rowlands sent in the kick and Dan Shittu nipped in ahead of Kelvin Davis at the far post to put the ball over the line.

There seemed no way back for Town but sub Pablo Couñago forced Royce into a rare save in the 79th minute. Dean Bowditch was unable to get onto the rebound.

Referee D'Urso's overall performance was summed up in the 87th minute when Kelvin Davis tipped Gallen's shot over the bar. D'Urso awarded a very unlikely goalkick. Shortly afterwards a blatant Town goalkick was given as a corner, presumably in an attempt to even his errors up.

With time running out, Bowditch sent the ball over from close range after good work from Couñago inside the box, before Darren Bent, once again a long way from his best, shot weakly to Royce.

A very poor display from Town who increasingly seem to have no answer to sides who deny them space in midfield and defend in depth. QPR were happy to allow the Blues to play the ball around in their own half of the field but gave Town's midfielders no time further up the field.

In games like this one there seem few alternative ideas other than aiming long balls towards Scowcroft's head or for Bent to chase and the likes of Shittu and Santos were seldom put under any serious pressure.

Throughout the side there appears to be a lack of confidence and unfamiliarity with the strengths and weaknesses of the recent additions to the side. Shefki Kuqi's chasing a movement up front is also badly missed, as is the presence of the attacking width provided by either Matt Richards or Danny Karbassiyoon on the left.

The defeat, along with Sunderland's victory at home to Cardiff, sees the Blues out of the top two on goal difference, Wigan having lost away at Gillingham. Town have the perfect opportunity to get back in the promotion positions next week at Wigan, however, they will have to be an awful lot better than they were against QPR to get a result at the JJB.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Unsworth, De Vos, Naylor, Magilton (Westlake 56), Miller, Currie (Bowditch 72), Horlock, Bent, Scowcroft (Couñago 56). Unused: Price, Karbassiyoon. Att: 29,088.

Photo: Action Images

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