Patrick Agyemang took advantage of some comical defending to take his goal tally to seven in five Coca-Cola Championship games as QPR sank Southampton at St Mary's.

The red-hot striker, one of 10 new signings brought in by moneybags Rangers, had already added to Martin Rowlands' equaliser with a close-range strike before a horrible mix-up between goalkeeper Kelvin Davis and Jermaine Wright killed Saints off.

Lee Camp's long punt over the top caught Wright napping and, with Davis in no man's land, the hapless defender kneed the ball over his goalkeeper to allow Agyemang to nip in and tap into an empty net.

Darren Powell had put Saints ahead after Rangers, who were without a point on the road this season, conjured up their own defensive howler in the opening minute.

But Rowlands dragged them level with his fifth of the season before Agyemang, who scored twice for Preston against Saints earlier this season, repeated the trick as Rangers leapfrogged their hosts in the table.

Saints captain Youssef Safri was sent off 12 minutes from time before Stern John grabbed a late consolation.

It had all looked so different for Southampton when they went ahead with barely 60 seconds on the clock.

Centre-half Matthew Connolly left a harmless-looking through pass to Camp, but the Rangers goalkeeper hesitated and when he did finally come to collect, he inadvertently slid out of the penalty area with the ball in his grasp.

Adam Hammill chipped the resulting free-kick into a crowded goalmouth, from where big centre-half Powell bundled the ball over the line.

Rangers recovered their composure and began to look a potent attacking threat, skipper Rowlands fizzing a stunning 20-yard volley inches over the crossbar.

But Saints missed two gilt-edged chances to put themselves out of sight within in the space of a minute.

First Andrew Surman sent Bradley Wright-Phillips through on goal, but the striker poked a weak shot straight at Camp.

Worse was to follow seconds later when Jason Euell robbed Hogan Ephraim on the left wing and crossed to John, who, without a Rangers player anywhere near him, ballooned the ball high over the bar from eight yards.

Saints were made to pay in the 38th minute when a swift Rangers counter-attack saw Rowan Vine feed Rowlands, who neatly tucked the ball under Davis.

And moments before the interval, Wright misjudged Ephraim's deep cross and Agyemang was free to sidefoot the ball home.

Saints substitute Marek Saganowski just failed to get on the end of Andrew Davies' cross as the hosts pushed for a leveller.

But their hopes were ended on the hour when Agyemang pounced on Wright and Davis' shocking mix-up, strolled towards the empty net, stopped the ball on the goalline and backheeled it in.

Safri then compounded Saints' misery with a late challenge on Agyemang which earned him a straight red card, before John swept home a loose ball in stoppage-time.

Teams:

Southampton Davis, Thomas (Viafara 52), Powell, Davies, Wright, Hammill (Saganowski 46), Safri, Euell, Surman, Wright-Phillips (Lallana 68), John.

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Idiakez.

Sent Off: Safri (78).

Booked: Powell, Viafara.

Goals: Powell 1, John 90.

QPR Camp, Mancienne, Rehman, Connolly, Delaney, Lee (Buzsaky 46), Mahon, Rowlands, Ephraim (Leigertwood 83),Vine, Agyemang (Blackstock 79).

Subs Not Used: Pickens, Stewart.

Booked: Buzsaky, Delaney.

Goals: Rowlands 38, Agyemang 45, 60.

Att: 22,505

Ref: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).