QPR extended their lead at the top of the Championship table thanks to a fine second-half display and a helping hand from Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood.
The Sky Blues were in control before the break with Clive Platt and Richard Wood having powerful headers superbly saved by visiting keeper Paddy Kenny.
But Westwood diverted Kyle Walker's cross into his own net soon after the break to gift QPR the opener.
And Tommy Smith's header sealed the win from Adel Taarabt's classy cross.
Smith's clever flicked effort effectively ended the match with 30 minutes still remaining as the west Londoners - who have the best defensive record in the division - never looked in danger of surrendering that lead.
But QPR boss Neil Warnock saw the home side outplay his men before the interval, creating several good chances to go ahead.
The lively Marlon King shot tamely at goal following a powerful length-of-the-pitch surge from Gary McSheffrey.
Platt's towering header from strike partner King's teasing cross then forced a superb low stop from Kenny.
And Wood was denied by another terrific Kenny save - this time the veteran keeper scrambling across his goal to turn the defender's downward header away for a corner.
Wood also had an effort cleared off the line by Alejandro Faurlin.
QPR barely threatened before the break with a neat run and blocked attempt from Taarabt as close as they came.
But they were a different side after the restart and were ahead within four minutes.
Walker's storming run on the right saw him outmuscle Gary McSheffrey and Westwood made a terrible hash of stopping the cross.
QPR's Heider Helguson (left) outjumps James McPake of Coventry
The leaders were now in command and Smith added a delicious second when his deft header from a delicious outside-of-the-foot pass from Taarabt found its way in at the far post.
Coventry battled hard in the closing stages but chances were in short supply at both ends and the home side could do nothing to avoid slumping to a third successive defeat.
Warnock's men easily held on to secure a first away win in six matches and stretch their lead over Cardiff to seven points.
And QPR will take plenty of comfort from the fact that the team top of the second tier of English football going into January has won promotion to the top flight in all but two of the last 19 years.
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Coventry
0-2
QPR
FT
(HT 0-0)
Westwood (og) 49
Smith 61
Coventry
01 Westwood
02 Keogh
06 McPake (Eastwood 87)
24 Wood (O'Halloran 70)
30 Cameron
05 Carsley
07 Bell (Wilson 71)
08 Doyle
09 King
19 McSheffrey yellow card
22 Platt
Substitutes
23 Ireland,
03 O'Halloran,
15 Cranie,
18 Baker,
10 Eastwood,
11 Jutkiewicz,
32 Wilson
QPR
01 Kenny
03 Hill
13 Gorkss
15 Walker
16 Connolly
04 Derry
07 Taarabt (Rowlands 84)
11 Faurlin yellow card
09 Helguson yellow card (Orr 89)
12 Mackie
21 Smith (Clarke 80)
Substitutes
23 Cerny,
02 Orr,
14 Rowlands,
08 Clarke,
19 Agyemang,
20 Hulse,
37 Tofas
Ref: SwarbrickAtt: 17,678
COVENTRY
QPR
Possession
Coventry46%
QPR54%
Attempts on target
Coventry8
QPR8
Attempts off target
Coventry4
QPR5
Corners
Coventry9
QPR7
Fouls
Coventry12
QPR7
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:33 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+3:53 Short corner taken by Martin Rowlands from the right by-line.
90:00+3:31 Martin Rowlands decides to take the corner short.
90:00+3:01 Leon Clarke takes a shot. Keiren Westwood makes a comfortable save.
90:00+1:42 Richard Keogh fouled by Leon Clarke, the ref awards a free kick. Richard Keogh crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing.
90:00+0:55 Jamie Mackie is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
90:00+0:17 Kyle Walker takes a short corner.
90:00+0:10 The ball is sent over by Kyle Walker, blocked by Lee Carsley.
88:39 Substitution Bradley Orr on for Heidar Helguson.
87:05 Free kick awarded for a foul by Clive Platt on Kaspars Gorkss. Indirect free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
86:47 Leon Clarke is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Keiren Westwood takes the free kick.
86:06 The official flags Jamie Mackie offside. Keiren Westwood takes the free kick.
86:06 Substitution James McPake leaves the field to be replaced by Freddy Eastwood.
85:06 The ball is swung over by Gary McSheffrey, blocked by Shaun Derry.
83:38 Substitution Martin Rowlands on for Adel Taarabt.
82:52 Jamie Mackie challenges Michael Doyle unfairly and gives away a free kick. Marlon King has an effort direct from the free kick.
82:28 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Callum Wilson by Leon Clarke. Free kick crossed by Gary McSheffrey, Matthew Connolly manages to make a clearance.
82:09 Centre by Stephen O'Halloran.
80:54 Gary McSheffrey concedes a free kick for a foul on Adel Taarabt. Free kick crossed right-footed by Adel Taarabt from right wing.
79:50 Marlon King is caught offside. Patrick Kenny takes the indirect free kick.
79:50 Substitution Leon Clarke on for Tommy Smith.
77:51 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adel Taarabt by Lee Carsley. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Adel Taarabt.
76:11 Centre by Stephen O'Halloran.
74:49 Corner taken left-footed by Gary McSheffrey from the right by-line, Matthew Connolly makes a clearance.
74:36 Marlon King crosses the ball, save by Patrick Kenny.
73:16 Centre by Marlon King.
71:56 The ball is sent over by Stephen O'Halloran.
70:58 Gary McSheffrey crosses the ball.
69:58 Substitution David Bell leaves the field to be replaced by Callum Wilson.
69:58 Substitution Richard Wood goes off and Stephen O'Halloran comes on.
68:46 Gary McSheffrey sends in a cross.
67:12 Effort from inside the area by Heidar Helguson misses to the right of the goal.
66:40 Foul by Richard Keogh on Tommy Smith, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
65:36 Corner taken by Adel Taarabt, Shot from close range by Matthew Connolly misses to the right of the goal.
65:30 Heidar Helguson crosses the ball, Richard Keogh gets a block in.
65:03 The ball is swung over by Richard Keogh, Matthew Connolly makes a clearance.
64:50 A cross is delivered by Gary McSheffrey, clearance made by Clint Hill.
63:32 David Bell is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.
Correction - 63:01 The official flags Adel Taarabt offside. Keiren Westwood takes the free kick.
63:01 The assistant referee signals for offside against Adel Taarabt. Keiren Westwood restarts play with the free kick.
62:28 Richard Wood takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.
62:18 Gary McSheffrey crosses the ball, clearance made by Kaspars Gorkss.
62:07 Michael Doyle crosses the ball.
60:54 The assist for the goal came from Adel Taarabt.
60:54 GOAL - Tommy Smith:Coventry 0 - 2 QPR Tommy Smith grabs a headed goal from inside the penalty area. Coventry 0-2 QPR.
58:55 Unfair challenge on Kyle Walker by Michael Doyle results in a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Adel Taarabt.
58:46 The ball is swung over by Gary McSheffrey, blocked by Kyle Walker.
58:42 Richard Keogh sends in a cross.
57:43 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James McPake by Heidar Helguson. Keiren Westwood restarts play with the free kick.
56:21 Marlon King is ruled offside. Patrick Kenny restarts play with the free kick.
56:00 Gary McSheffrey delivers the ball, Kaspars Gorkss makes a clearance.
54:54 Unfair challenge on Alejandro Faurlin by Lee Carsley results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
53:31 Short corner worked by Tommy Smith.
53:17 A cross is delivered by Alejandro Faurlin, Richard Keogh gets a block in.
52:19 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James McPake by Heidar Helguson. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
51:09 The ball is crossed by Marlon King.
50:41 Effort on goal by Clive Platt from just outside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
48:33 Kyle Walker sends in a cross, assist on the goal came from Kyle Walker.
48:33 GOAL - Keiren Westwood:Coventry 0 - 1 QPR Keiren Westwood puts the ball into his own net from 6 yards. Coventry 0-1 QPR.
46:47 The assistant referee flags for offside against Marlon King. Indirect free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.
46:20 Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Save made by Keiren Westwood.
45:01 The match restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+2:15 It is the end of the first-half.
45:00+2:02 Marlon King crosses the ball, save by Patrick Kenny.
45:00+1:20 Jamie Mackie produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
45:00+0:47 Nathan Cameron challenges Heidar Helguson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Shaun Derry.
44:03 The assistant referee flags for offside against Heidar Helguson. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
43:35 Kyle Walker takes a shot. Michael Doyle gets a block in.
42:41 Shaun Derry has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
42:12 Alejandro Faurlin takes a shot. Lee Carsley gets a block in.
41:45 Lee Carsley takes a shot. Blocked by Kaspars Gorkss.
41:10 Tommy Smith sends in a cross, Keiren Westwood makes a save.
40:13 Corner from the right by-line taken by Adel Taarabt, clearance made by James McPake.
40:06 The ball is sent over by Jamie Mackie, blocked by Nathan Cameron.
37:28 Corner from the left by-line taken by David Bell, Richard Wood takes a shot. Clearance made by Clint Hill.
36:57 The ball is swung over by Gary McSheffrey, Marlon King takes a shot. Blocked by Clint Hill.
34:33 Handball by Matthew Connolly. Direct free kick taken by Lee Carsley.
33:34 Corner taken by Gary McSheffrey from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by Clint Hill.
32:40 The ball is crossed by David Bell, Richard Wood takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.
31:59 Inswinging corner taken by David Bell from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Heidar Helguson.
31:37 Effort from the edge of the area by Lee Carsley goes wide of the right-hand post.
30:43 Lee Carsley fouled by Alejandro Faurlin, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed by Gary McSheffrey, clearance made by Clint Hill.
30:43 Booking Alejandro Faurlin goes into the referee's book.
28:34 Free kick awarded for a foul by Lee Carsley on Alejandro Faurlin. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Adel Taarabt, save made by Keiren Westwood.
27:36 Effort from deep inside the area by Gary McSheffrey clears the bar.
27:07 Corner taken by Gary McSheffrey.
26:57 The ball is delivered by David Bell, Clint Hill gets a block in.
26:29 Short corner taken by Gary McSheffrey.
25:59 Clive Platt takes a shot. Patrick Kenny makes a save.
25:33 Shot from outside the box by Kyle Walker goes wide right of the target.
24:46 Gary McSheffrey gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kyle Walker. Adel Taarabt takes the direct free kick, David Bell crosses the ball, Adel Taarabt manages to make a clearance.
24:46 Booking Booking for Gary McSheffrey.
22:28 Gary McSheffrey delivers the ball in from the corner.
22:14 The ball is delivered by Gary McSheffrey, clearance made by Clint Hill.
22:08 Centre by David Bell.
20:23 Heidar Helguson challenges Richard Keogh unfairly and gives away a free kick. Lee Carsley restarts play with the free kick.
20:23 Booking Heidar Helguson is shown a yellow card.
18:04 Jamie Mackie is ruled offside. Keiren Westwood restarts play with the free kick.
17:51 Centre by Kyle Walker, Lee Carsley manages to make a clearance.
17:24 Tommy Smith takes a shot. Blocked by Nathan Cameron.
15:16 Lee Carsley crosses the ball, Patrick Kenny makes a save.
14:47 Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Save made by Keiren Westwood.
14:15 The ball is swung over by Clint Hill, save by Keiren Westwood.
13:39 Centre by Richard Keogh, Gary McSheffrey takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.
Correction - 12:07 The ball is crossed by Gary McSheffrey, Patrick Kenny makes a comfortable save.
12:07 Gary McSheffrey sends in a cross, save made by Patrick Kenny.
11:01 Unfair challenge on Tommy Smith by Gary McSheffrey results in a free kick. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.
10:17 Adel Taarabt takes a shot. James McPake gets a block in.
9:46 Marlon King takes a shot. Save by Patrick Kenny.
8:01 Inswinging corner taken by Gary McSheffrey.
7:54 A cross is delivered by Marlon King, Clint Hill gets a block in.
6:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by Michael Doyle on Heidar Helguson. Adel Taarabt delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, save by Keiren Westwood.
6:34 Unfair challenge on Clint Hill by David Bell results in a free kick. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.
6:17 David Bell produces a cross, Matthew Connolly manages to make a clearance.
6:10 Marlon King delivers the ball, clearance made by Kaspars Gorkss.
5:34 Adel Taarabt sends in a cross, clearance made by James McPake.
5:23 Tommy Smith delivers the ball, clearance made by Richard Wood.
3:40 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Adel Taarabt.
3:28 Kyle Walker delivers the ball, blocked by Richard Wood.
2:46 Gary McSheffrey crosses the ball, save made by Patrick Kenny.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.
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