QPR dominated their relegation clash with Leicester to record a 3-1 win and move further away from the Coca-Cola Championship drop zone.

Damion Stewart headed the Hoops in front from a corner before Adam Bolder lashed home to double the advantage at Loftus Road before the break.

Dexter Blackstock scored with another header to make it three before Iain Hume fired in a fabulous free-kick to reduce the arrears - but it was not enough to prevent Leicester's three-match unbeaten run from ending in convincing fashion.

New signing Gavin Mahon was on the bench for QPR who started with Akos Buzsaky in midfield, while Rowan Vine and Bob Malcolm were also in the XI for the final time before their loan deals come to an end.

Striker Barry Hayles started for City following his move from Plymouth but Steve Howard, a £1million-plus capture from Derby this week, had to make do with a place among the substitutes.

The Londoners were the first to threaten in the second minute when Bolder's shot from 10 yards was comfortably held by Paul Henderson in the Foxes goal.

Leicester dominated early on but, as would be expected in a match between two sides level on points just above the relegation zone, it was an initially tight affair with little goalmouth action.

That all changed in the 15th minute, however, when defender Stewart rose to head home Buzsaky's left-sided corner from close range.

Vine had a chance to make it two moments later but fired wide from an acute angle six yards out.

City defender James Chambers then provided his side's first goal threat but his header was over the bar.

Luigi De Canio's side were now looking by far the more dangerous and Bolder made it two from close range after 26 minutes following Blackstock's nod down from Vine's cross.

Leicester's toil prompted manager Ian Holloway to bring on Howard for his debut after just half an hour, with defender Joe Mattock making way.

The striker could have opened his account after just six minutes on the pitch but his header from Hume's corner flew wide.

Blackstock also saw a headed effort flash wide and Matt Fryatt shot off target as the half drew to a close.

The first significant action of the second half saw Howard almost notch his first City goal with a 35-yard wonder strike, but his effort cannoned off the post.

But in the 56th minute a bad situation for the visitors got even worse when Vine again provided a perfect cross and Blackstock headed home from point-blank range.

Hume responded a minute later with a stunning free-kick into the top right-hand corner from 25 yards.

Mahon was introduced with 25 minutes left and gave away a free-kick from which Howard headed wide.

Henderson did well to tip Buzsaky's free-kick around the post and the largely unemployed Lee Camp did likewise from Fryatt's header at the other end.

Teams

QPR Camp, Barker, Stewart, Bolder (Nygaard 74),Blackstock (Walton 90), Ainsworth (Mahon 67), Buzsaky,Rowlands, Malcolm, Vine, Rehman.

Subs Not Used: Cole, Balanta.

Booked: Bolder.

Goals: Stewart 15, Bolder 26, Blackstock 56.

Leicester Henderson, Stearman, McAuley, Kisnorbo,Mattock (Howard 31), James Chambers (Wesolowski 57),N'Gotty (Sheehan 62), Clemence, Hume, Fryatt, Hayles.

Subs Not Used: Hayes, Kenton.

Booked: Wesolowski, Hayles.

Goals: Hume 59.

Att: 13,326

Ref: Pat Miller (Bedfordshire).