Walsall sank deeper into relegation trouble with this defeat at the Bescot Stadium while Rangers enhanced their play-off hopes.

The Saddlers, who conceded four goals to Charlton in their previous home match, let in three this time and that type of defending will send them back to Division Two.

It took Rangers only 11 minutes to open them up when Mikkel Beck, on loan from Derby, won a header to release Chris Kiwomya down the right.

He whipped a low cross into the goalmouth where Walsall midfielder Bjarni Larusson knocked the ball into his own net trying to slide it away for a corner.

To make matters worse the defence blundered again four minutes later following a free-kick, no one picking up Stuart Wardley who hammered his 14th goal of the season.

There looked no way back for Walsall at that point, but with two new players in the side - Graham Fenton and Paul Hall - they rallied.

In the 36th minute Mark Robins hit the bar and defender Tony Barras was on the spot to smash home his fifth goal of the season.

It could have been even better for Walsall because a minute from half time, Pedro Matias beat Lee Harper with a tremendous shot from 30 yards which rebounded from the bar.

But Walsall's revival paid off again in the 63rd minute, a neat move ending with Fenton heading the ball down into to the path of Hall who marked his debut with a tremendous right foot shot into the roof of the net.

At that point the Saddlers looked capable of winning, but in the 73rd minute Rangers broke free to grab the winner.

Wardley beat the defence down the left hand side of the penalty box and although his cross seemed to have gone too far beyond the far post Kiwomya reached it to clinch all three points with a stunning right foot drive into the top corner.

Walsall fought hard to try and save a point, but Rangers held on and are now unbeaten in nine league games.

Teams:

Walsall: Walker, Marsh, Barras, Viveash, Padula, Hall (Wrack 80), Larusson, Vlachos, Matias, Fenton (Eyjolfsson 80), Robins.

Subs Not Used: Roper, Brightwell, Keates.

Goals: Barras 36, Hall 63.

QPR: Harper, Plummer (Perry 59), Baraclough, Ready, Darlington (Kulcsar 65), Wardley, Langley, Rose, Murray, Beck (Taylor 86), Kiwomya.

Subs Not Used: Miklosko, Gallen.

Goals: Larusson 11 og, Wardley 15, Kiwomya 73.

Att: 6,414

Ref: G Cain (Bootle).