Hirst’s first header was cancelled out by Rumarn Burrell’s tap-in after Christian Walton spilled a long-range effort. However, the Blues responded well after the break, with Nunez scoring two stunning free-kicks either side of Hirst’s second goal to secure a convincing win on the road.

Darnell Furlong started at right-back against his former club (Image: Ross Halls)

TEAM NEWS

Kieran McKenna made one change to the team that beat West Brom 1-0, with Walton starting in goal behind a back four of ex-QPR man Darnell Furlong, skipper Dara O’Shea, Reims loanee Cedric Kipre and dynamic left-back Leif Davis.

Azor Matusiwa continued his midfield partnership with Jack Taylor – Nunez playing ahead of them in the no.10 role, replacing the injured Sam Szmodics [knee].

Sindre Walle Egeli and Jaden Philogene played on the wings, either side of lone striker Hirst. Chuba Akpom was deemed fit enough to make the bench, joined by returning duo Ben Johnson and Cam Humphreys, but Como loanee Ivan Azon was absent.

QPR XI: 4-2-3-1: Nardi; Dunne, Morrison, Cook (Mbengue 78′), Esquerdinha (Norrington-Davis 62′); Hayden, Madsen; Vale (Poku 62′), Kone (Frey 68′), Chair (Saito 62′); Burrell

Town XI: Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Davis (Johnson 72′); Matusiwa, Taylor; Walle Egeli (McAteer 72′), Nunez (J. Clarke 84′), Philogene (Young 84′); Hirst (Akpom 72′)

Hirst gave Town the lead inside the opening two minutes of the match (Image: Ross Halls)

68 SECONDS

Having waited until the final knockings of the game against West Brom to seal the points, Ipswich were in no mood to hang about in West London. Walle Egeli gathered the ball down the right and found space to break, beating Esquerdinha before delivering a pinpoint cross onto the head of Hirst.

The striker had positioned himself in front of Liam Morrison, and he was able to knock the ball down into the ground and up into the net to give his side the lead after just 68 seconds.

They were looking to go for the jugular. Hirst kept the ball in play down the left in the eighth minute, with his low cross finding Nunez in the box, although the former Norwich City man couldn’t make proper contact. It bounced up into the air as Walle Egeli collected from wide right and turned back on himself, firing just over the crossbar.

The home fans grew frustrated as Town set up camp in the final third, quick one-two play causing copious problems, even though the final touch was missing to turn it past Paul Nardi for a second goal.

Then came a bolt from the blue – QPR’s equaliser. Ilias Chair was afforded space to cut inside from the left flank, shifting the ball onto his right foot to shoot from distance.

Walton got down to make the save, but he ended up spilling the ball straight into the path of Burrell in front of him, with the striker smacking the rebound home to equalise in the 21st minute.

The Blues lost momentum after conceding an equaliser (Image: Ross Halls)

 LOSS OF COMPOSURE

The R’s were keen to put Walton under pressure. When an awkward ball bounced back to him, he knew that grabbing it would be considered a back-pass, instead opting to control and clear as Burrell chased him down, running the ball out of play for a goal kick that got QPR fans going.

It happened again seconds later. A cross from the right caused problems as Walton went to grab it, colliding with Furlong as the hosts came close to turning it into the net.

The match soon became scrappy. Philogene went down in the corner of the ground after landing awkwardly, taking a lengthy period to receive treatment. Walle Egeli was incensed that a challenge on him outside the area went unpunished, while Harvey Vale was booked for clattering Leif Davis in the 33rd minute.

Two long throws from Furlong caused real problems for QPR – home fans loudly appealing for a foul throw against the man they used to cheer, but referee Sam Allison was unmoved. The second saw Hirst win a corner from a header, with Philogene firing a shot over the crossbar after it was cleared.

There were flashes of quality. Nunez was able to play a quick ball out to Philogene, who forced a comfortable save from Nardi in the 37th minute. Around a minute, Burrell pounced on a loose ball and beat O’Shea before firing at Walton, who made a good stop to deny him.

Town did, however, give away a corner by playing straight out of play at the back, with Kipre unable to control a pass back to him. QPR did little to threaten from it, however.

Nunez scored two free-kicks either side of Hirst’s second goal (Image: Ross Halls)

18 EXCELLENT MINUTES

Realising that a fast start worked for them in the first half, Ipswich went and repeated the trick. The fortuitous side of the goal came first, with Philogene winning a soft free-kick while challenging for the ball in the air.

But that meant little to Nunez, who stepped up to take the free-kick a few yards outside the left side of the box. His effort wasn’t aimed towards the top corner, but dipped awkwardly as it curled past past Nardi.

The QPR fans were quick to turn. Every time they made progress up the pitch but fell short of creating a chance, there were moans and groans around Loftus Road, just like there were after the Blues opened the scoring in the first half.

Town managed capitalise, notching a third in similar fashion to their first. Walle Egeli’s surging run from the right created an overload, with Furlong alongside him opening space for the overlapped pass.

The right-back chipped a cross into the box for Hirst, who was well-positioned to head his second goal of the game past Nardi make it 3-1 in 57th minute.

Morrison, who was beaten in the air by Hirst for both goals, saw his afternoon go from bad to worse. He was booked for bringing down Philogene on the counter, around 25 yards from goal.

Nunez stepped up for the free-kick, bending it up and over the wall. This time, it dropped past Nardi at his near post, extending the Blues’ advantage to 4-1 in the 64th minute.

Ipswich were able to see out a comfortable win in the capital (Image: Ross Halls)

AN EASY FINALE

There was some concern shortly after the 70th minute. Hirst, chasing a hat-trick, slipped while putting Steve Cook under pressure, holding his hamstring as he went to ground. He walked off after receiving treatment, replaced by Akpom.

Davis, who had also picked up a knock earlier in the game, wasn’t risked and also brought off, while Kasey McAteer came on for Walle Egeli.

QPR, however, were in damage limitation mode, aside from the odd half-chance they fashioned, which Town were comfortably able to defend.

In truth, the game was done and dusted with plenty of time to spare. Ipswich brought on substitutes who had very little to do other than hold onto the ball and ensure a comfortable win in the capital, which they did.