On-loan midfielder Jimmy Smith scored the only goal of the game as QPR overcame Coventry in their Coca-Cola Championship clash at the Ricoh Arena.

Smith, 20, struck early in the second half to register his sixth Championship goal of the season since joining from Chelsea in September.

But prior to half-time, it had been another Hoops loanee, goalkeeper Lee Camp, who had kept the Sky Blues at bay with a sequence of fine saves.

Their victory was the Loftus Road side's third win in four games while Iain Dowie was left to reflect on back-to-back defeats for the first time since being installed as Coventry boss in February.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock Camp, in his second spell with Rangers from promotion-chasing Derby, produced a one-handed save to deny Khalilou Fadiga at close range.

Then, in the 23rd minute, half-hearted penalty appeals were waved away following Marcus Hall's tangle with Smith.

Five minutes later the hosts' Andy Whing set free Michael Mifsud but Camp was quickly off his line to smother the danger and then bounce up again to tackle Adam Virgo outside the penalty area.

In the 33rd minute unmarked City captain Elliott Ward headed down and wide from Virgo's left-wing corner and 10 minutes later Camp saved the same player's curling shot.

Camp was in action again moments before half-time as he flung himself low to his left to save at the foot of his post after Mifsud's half-volley on the turn.

Both sides ran out unchanged for the start of the second half which opened quietly and was soon interrupted for treatment to Sky Blues midfielder Stephen Hughes.

But Rangers were on the attack shortly afterwards and came close to opening the scoring in the 50th minute when Smith floated over a free-kick taken from the left wing.

And after Pat Kanyuka had headed down from the back post into the six-yard box, Paul Furlong mistimed his volley.

But the deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute after Adam Bolder burst into the Coventry box to set up Furlong, whose close-range effort was saved by Andy Marshall.

Marshall then denied Stefan Moore from the rebound but could do nothing about the next follow-up which was thundered home by Smith.

The goal triggered a series of substitutions as Whing, operating in midfield, was replaced by Leon McKenzie and Rangers' Sampsa Timoska was swapped for Marcus Bignot.

In the 63rd minute, Robert Page replaced Colin Hawkins in the Coventry defence and before play restarted, Marc Nygaard was on for Furlong.

Kevin Kyle, who replaced Mifsud in the 70th minute, completed the Coventry substitutions and two minutes later Steve Lomas replaced Bolder. But despite their re-arrangements, there would be no way back into the game for Coventry, who saw Dele Adebola head a close-range chance wide with five minutes remaining.

Teams:

Coventry Marshall, Virgo, Hawkins (Page 63), Ward, Hall,Whing (McKenzie 54), Hughes, Doyle, Fadiga, Adebola,Mifsud (Kyle 69).

Subs Not Used: Steele, Cameron.

Booked: Doyle, Virgo.

QPR Camp, Kanyuka, Cullip, Stewart, Timoska (Bignot 56),Smith, Ainsworth, Bolder (Lomas 72), Moore,Furlong (Nygaard 63), Blackstock.

Subs Not Used: Cole, Ricketts.

Booked: Stewart, Moore, Kanyuka.

Goals: Smith 53.

Att: 22,850

Ref: P Miller (Bedfordshire).