Dexter Blackstock ensured QPR's recent renaissance continued with a deserved win over Cardiff in the Coca-Cola Championship.

John Gregory's side have now won three on the spin on home soil to haul themselves clear of the relegation scrap, and Blackstock has been the catalyst behind the upturn to fortunes at Loftus Road with his goalscoring exploits.

Blackstock headed the only goal midway through the first half as Rangers dominated for large periods against a City side now well adrift of the play-off pack after slumping to a seventh game without a win.

It was a particularly disappointing result for the Bluebirds who have now seen their promotion push finally peter out after jostling for a top-six spot for most of the current campaign.

Lee Cook returned to the QPR starting line-up after recovering from a medial knee ligament problem while Cardiff were still without the suspended Simon Walton and Ricardo Scimeca, who is waiting to find out whether his season is over following a recurrence of groin and stomach problems.

The Hoops have found some level of consistency at precisely the right time to ease clear of the drop zone and appeared determined to build on back-to-back home wins over Preston and Luton in the opening stages.

The evergreen Steve Lomas fired goalward from close range in the sixth minute but Roger Johnson was on hand to punt the ball away to safety while Patrick Kanyuka steered a tame header over from the edge of the penalty area five minutes later as the hosts pushed for an opener.

A fine save from City goalkeeper David Forde denied Blackstock's rasping 12-yard drive shortly and Adam Bolder blazed wide from distance before the home side deservedly opened the scoring with 23 minutes gone.

Cook made in-roads down the right flank and whipped in a cross which Blackstock rose powerfully to meet and head high past Forde to take his tally for the season to 14 goals in all competitions.

The former Southampton striker, signed by Rangers for £275,000 last August, has now scored five goals in his last six games and City struggled to deal with his trademark pace and power.

Peter Whittingham created Cardiff's only noteworthy chance of the first half but he failed to trouble goalkeeper Lee Camp from 25 yards.

The Bluebirds started the second period with added attacking gusto, Michael Chopra plundering straight at Camp from 18 yards moments after the restart.

Just after the hour powerhouse defender Damion Stewart found himself in the right place at the right time to hack clear Willo Flood's angled 20-yard effort as chances proved hard to come by for both teams.

City boss Dave Jones introduced youngster Darcy Blake and Warren Feeney late on in an attempt to freshen up his weary strikeforce but Forde had to be alert to clamber away a goalbound Cook corner 12 minutes from time.

Gregory withdrew Blackstock with six minutes left and sent on veteran striker Paul Furlong while Marcus Bignot and Joe Ledley were both booked as tempers flared in the final stages of a low-key second half.

Teams

QPR Camp, Bignot, Kanyuka, Stewart, Timoska, Bolder,Rowlands (Smith 71), Lomas, Cook, Blackstock (Furlong 84),Nygaard.

Subs Not Used: Cole, Milanese, Bailey.

Booked: Bolder, Bignot, Cook.

Goals: Blackstock 23.

Cardiff Forde, Gilbert (Parry 57), Johnson, Gunter,McNaughton, Whittingham, McPhail, Ledley, Flood (Blake 75),Thompson (Feeney 72), Chopra.

Subs Not Used: Alexander, Green.

Booked: Chopra, Gilbert, Ledley.

Att: 12,710

Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).