QPR ended a sequence of four draws with a victory over Reading that took them back to the top of the Championship.
Adel Taarabt converted a penalty after he had been fouled by Matt Mills before team-mate Bradley Orr was sent off for a poor challenge on Hal Robson-Kanu.
Alejandro Faurlin pounced on a loose ball to make it 2-0 before Shane Long pulled a goal back from 25 yards.
Tommy Smith sealed the victory by tapping home after Adam Federici had parried a free-kick from Taarabt.
QPR's tenure at the top of the table could be short-lived if Cardiff defeat Welsh rivals Swansea on Sunday.
But after a run of games that had seen Neil Warnock's team score just twice in four fixtures, at least the London club were back to winning ways and extended their unbeaten start to the season to 15 games.
Taarabt provided the inspiration, drawing drawing a foul from Mills with his dribbling skills before audaciously slotting the resulting spot kick past Australia keeper Federici.
The Morocco international was also involved in the second goal, releasing Jamie Mackie down the right for a cross which was only half-cleared, allowing Faurlin to pounce.
But it was not a perfect afternoon for Rangers, with striker Rob Hulse again toiling in vain for his first goal for the club since joining from Derby in August.
He was guilty of an awful early miss after Faurlin's initial strike hit the underside of the bar, while Reading were left to rue a wasted opportunity by striker Simon Church late on which might have set up a tense finish.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
QPR
3-1
Reading
FT
(HT 1-0)
Taarabt (pen) 27
Faurlin 61
Smith 71
Long 68
QPR
01 Kenny
02 Orr red card
13 Gorkss
15 Walker
16 Connolly
04 Derry yellow card
07 Taarabt (Clarke 80 yellow card)
11 Faurlin
12 Mackie
20 Hulse (Agyemang 81)
21 Smith (Ephraim 90+6)
Substitutes
24 Cerny,
06 Leigertwood,
14 Rowlands,
25 Ephraim,
35 Parker,
08 Clarke,
19 Agyemang
Reading
01 Federici
02 Griffin
05 Mills yellow card
15 Khizanishvili
23 Harte
04 Karacan yellow card (Church 62)
07 Tabb (Antonio 81 yellow card)
11 McAnuff
19 Robson-Kanu (Hunt 72)
20 Howard
09 Long
Substitutes
41 McCarthy,
24 Cummings,
26 Pearce,
33 Armstrong,
17 Antonio,
10 Hunt,
18 Church
Ref: TannerAtt: 15,692
QPR
READING
Possession
QPR52%
Reading48%
Attempts on target
QPR5
Reading5
Attempts off target
QPR7
Reading2
Corners
QPR1
Reading7
Fouls
QPR14
Reading15
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+6:36 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
90:00+5:41 Substitution Hogan Ephraim replaces Tommy Smith.
90:00+5:02 Michail Antonio gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tommy Smith. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
90:00+5:02 Booking Michail Antonio is shown a yellow card.
90:00+1:32 Short corner taken by Tommy Smith.
88:27 Free kick awarded for a foul by Noel Hunt on Jamie Mackie. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.
87:45 Brian Howard takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny. Corner taken by Ian Harte from the left by-line, Kyle Walker manages to make a clearance.
86:18 Alejandro Faurlin gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jobi McAnuff. Ian Harte produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick, blocked by Shaun Derry.
86:18 Booking Leon Clarke receives a caution.
84:53 Shaun Derry gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jobi McAnuff. Direct free kick taken by Jobi McAnuff. Shot from inside the area by Simon Church clears the bar.
84:33 Foul by Shaun Derry on Shane Long, free kick awarded. Ian Harte restarts play with the free kick.
82:13 Jobi McAnuff concedes a free kick for a foul on Shaun Derry. Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
80:43 Substitution Michail Antonio on for Jay Tabb.
79:54 Substitution (QPR) makes a substitution, with Patrick Agyemang coming on for Rob Hulse.
79:54 Substitution Leon Clarke joins the action as a substitute, replacing Adel Taarabt.
78:05 Effort on goal by Jamie Mackie from outside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.
76:50 Noel Hunt challenges Tommy Smith unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
74:32 Adel Taarabt has a shot and went wide right of the post.
72:00 Jobi McAnuff takes a outswinging corner.
70:33 Jay Tabb concedes a free kick for a foul on Alejandro Faurlin. Direct free kick taken by Adel Taarabt.
70:33 Substitution Noel Hunt joins the action as a substitute, replacing Hal Robson-Kanu.
70:33 GOAL - Tommy Smith:QPR 3 - 1 Reading Goal scored by Tommy Smith from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. QPR 3-1 Reading.
67:43 GOAL - Shane Long:QPR 2 - 1 Reading Shane Long finds the net with a goal from outside the penalty area to the top right corner of the goal. QPR 2-1 Reading.
64:43 Simon Church takes a shot. Shane Long gets a block in.
62:36 Corner taken left-footed by Brian Howard, clearance by Tommy Smith.
60:22 Substitution Simon Church replaces Jem Karacan.
60:22 GOAL - Alejandro Faurlin:QPR 2 - 0 Reading Alejandro Faurlin finds the net with a goal from inside the penalty box to the top left corner of the goal. QPR 2-0 Reading.
59:29 Booking The referee shows Jem Karacan a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
53:26 Foul by Adel Taarabt on Jem Karacan, free kick awarded. Ian Harte restarts play with the free kick.
51:08 Hal Robson-Kanu concedes a free kick for a foul on Tommy Smith. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
50:12 Unfair challenge on Adel Taarabt by Andy Griffin results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Kyle Walker.
48:18 Rob Hulse takes a shot. Save by Adam Federici.
47:14 Jobi McAnuff takes a shot. Save made by Patrick Kenny.
46:52 Alejandro Faurlin gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jem Karacan. Brian Howard takes the free kick.
46:06 Effort on goal by Jay Tabb from outside the box goes harmlessly over the bar.
45:01 The second half has started.
Half Time
45:00+3:25 The ref blows to signal half-time.
45:00+2:48 Matthew Connolly gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jay Tabb. Brian Howard restarts play with the free kick.
45:00+1:29 The offside flag is raised against Matt Mills. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
Correction - 43:37 Bradley Orr gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Hal Robson-Kanu. Ian Harte crosses the ball in from the free kick.
Correction - 43:37 Sent off Bradley Orr sent from the field by the ref for serious foul play.
43:37 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Hal Robson-Kanu by Bradley Orr. Free kick crossed by Ian Harte.
43:37 Sent off Bradley Orr is sent off.
38:13 Handball decision goes against Jay Tabb. Free kick taken by Adel Taarabt.
37:17 Tommy Smith has a shot on goal from outside the box which misses right.
34:25 Brian Howard fouled by Alejandro Faurlin, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Ian Harte.
33:35 Corner taken by Brian Howard from the right by-line, clearance by Kaspars Gorkss.
31:51 Shaun Derry takes a shot. Adam Federici makes a save.
31:16 Shaun Derry fouled by Shane Long, the ref awards a free kick. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.
30:20 Rob Hulse has a header from close range and clears the crossbar.
30:20 Booking Shaun Derry receives a caution for dissent.
29:17 Booking Matt Mills receives a yellow card.
26:50 Matt Mills concedes a Penalty for a foul on Adel Taarabt.
23:58 Brian Howard takes the outswinging corner, Shane Long fouled by Kyle Walker, the ref awards a free kick. Adam Federici takes the direct free kick.
21:32 Rob Hulse takes a shot. Save by Adam Federici.
20:24 Adel Taarabt fouled by Matt Mills, the ref awards a free kick. Alejandro Faurlin crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Adam Federici.
19:22 Bradley Orr gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Hal Robson-Kanu. Ian Harte crosses the ball in from the free kick.
17:38 Matthew Connolly gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shane Long. Ian Harte crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, clearance made by Tommy Smith. Brian Howard takes a short corner.
16:25 Jay Tabb fouled by Kaspars Gorkss, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by Brian Howard from right wing, Bradley Orr manages to make a clearance.
14:58 Corner taken by Brian Howard from the left by-line to the near post, Kyle Walker makes a clearance.
14:01 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Shaun Derry by Brian Howard. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.
12:25 Adel Taarabt fouled by Brian Howard, the ref awards a free kick. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Adel Taarabt from right channel, clearance by Jem Karacan.
12:03 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adel Taarabt by Matt Mills. Direct free kick taken by Shaun Derry.
11:23 Effort on goal by Jamie Mackie from just inside the area clears the bar.
10:29 Tommy Smith handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Andy Griffin.
9:13 The assistant referee flags for offside against Rob Hulse. Adam Federici takes the free kick.
6:53 Alejandro Faurlin takes a shot. Rob Hulse produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
2:27 Kyle Walker gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jay Tabb. Direct free kick taken by Andy Griffin.
1:14 Zurab Khizanishvili concedes a free kick for a foul on Rob Hulse. Free kick crossed by Alejandro Faurlin, Zurab Khizanishvili makes a clearance.
0:54 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kaspars Gorkss by Jobi McAnuff. Matthew Connolly takes the direct free kick.
0:03 Unfair challenge on Matt Mills by Rob Hulse results in a free kick. Adam Federici takes the free kick.
0:00 The game kicks-off.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?