Three goals in 12 second-half minutes helped QPR to an emphatic victory over awful Swindon at Loftus Road to ease their relegation worries with a stunning 4-0 victory.

Rangers boss Gerry Francis preferred Chris Kiwomya to goal-shy striker Kevin Gallen up front, and he starred with two of the goals which plunged Swindon deeper into the relegation mire.

The home side had dominated a bad-tempered first half with only Swindon 'keeper Jimmy Glass denying them a deserved lead.

In the second minute, he made a superb stop from Gavin Peacock after Kiwomya had latched on to the 'keeper's poor clearance.

And on 10 minutes, he raced out of his goal to head the ball away as Rob Steiner looked to finish off Paul Murray's long ball.

Two minutes later, came his best save as Murray's corner was met by the head of Tim Breacker only for Glass to dive full length to push the ball away.

Swindon's only chance of the half came on 19 minutes. George Ndah headed down to Ty Gooden, and he ghosted past Murray before shooting inches wide with the goal at his mercy.

Rangers continued to dominate without finding a way past Glass in the first half but two minutes after the break, they finally broke the deadlock.

Steiner picked the ball up on halfway and set off on a bizarre winding run towards goal. The Swindon defence let him go, and with just a trace of luck, he forced his way into the area before hitting a low shot into the corner.

Three minutes later they doubled the lead. Steiner put Kiwomya in the clear, and the striker used his pace before calmly slipping the ball past the helpless Glass.

The 'keeper denied Peacock four minutes later with a timely grab of Keith Rowland's cross, while at the other end, Iffy Onuora headed down Gareth Hall's cross, but Chris Hay couldn't get the final touch from a couple of yards out.

On 59 minutes, the victory was assured with a goal of blinding simplicity. Ludek Miklosko's monster goal-kick saw Kiwomya out-pace Brian Borrows, and he calmly chipped Glass to make it 3-0.

Swindon gamely kept coming forward, and Miklosko saved brilliantly from Onuora's powerful shot after Charlie Griffin's low cross, but Rangers rubbed in their supremacy with 10 minutes left.

Rowland wriggled away from his marker in the area and fired a right-foot shot into the roof of the net.

To sum up Swindon's dreadful day, they earned themselves a penalty with five minutes left when Danny Maddix upended Onuora, but Mark Walters' kick was superbly saved by Miklosko with his legs.

Many more days like this and Swindon will be heading for Division Two next season.

Teams

QPR: Miklosko, Breacker, Baraclough, Rose, Kulcsar, Maddix, Murray (Gallen 75), Peacock, Steiner (Dowie 81), Rowland, Kiwomya.

Subs Not Used: Jeanne.

Booked: Kulcsar, Gallen.

Goals: Steiner 47, Kiwomya 50, 59, Rowland 80.

Swindon: Glass, Walters, Reeves, Leitch, Hall, Borrows, Howe, Ndah, Onuora, Hay (Griffin 55), Gooden (Linton 55).

Subs Not Used: Taylor.

Booked: Glass, Leitch.

Att: 11,184

Ref: D Pugh (Wirral).