Nottingham Forest 4-0 Queens Park Rangers
- Published
Everton loanee Kieran Dowell made it six goals and two assists in his last four Championship starts
QPR set an unwanted EFL record as they slid to a comprehensive defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Rangers have never won at the City Ground in 29 league visits, beating Grimsby's record at Blackburn.
Tyler Walker's calm finish put Forest ahead, teed up by Kieran Dowell who rounded Alex Smithies to double the lead with his sixth goal of the season.
Barrie McKay volleyed the third and then set up Walker to fire in his second from an acute angle.
Ailing Hoops manager Ian Holloway decided to watch the first half from a television gantry to prevent the QPR substitutes picking up his illness.
But Rangers looked under the weather for much of the first half and the hosts could have led by more than two at half-time, with Alex Baptiste making a vital clearance from Dowell's low cross and Daryl Murphy heading just wide from Walker's cross.
Holloway's side showed little sign they could mount a comeback and record their first-ever win at the City Ground in 34 attempts in league and cup - a sequence stretching back to their first meeting in January 1934.
Forest continued to dominate after the break with McKay and in-form Everton loanee Dowell both posing a threat, and Walker making an instant impact in his first league start in more than two years.
Their third straight home win was their biggest of the season, lifting them up to eighth and within a point of the play-off places.
QPR, who had arrived on a four-match unbeaten run, have now failed to win their last 15 Championship matches away from Loftus Road and slipped to 14th.
Nottingham Forest boss Mark Warburton:
"I am pleased for the players and the fans of course, but we have to learn from this, just as we do every game. As a squad we have to keep learning.
"There were lots of very positive things to take, but we missed a lot of chances. QPR came here on the back of two very good results - so that is a very pleasing performance.
"I am delighted for the players that they have got their reward for a good performance heading into the international break."
Queens Park Rangers manager Ian Holloway told BBC Radio London:
"It's weird because I have a won here a lot so I was hoping it would rub off.
"To win any game at this level you need to have at least eight of your players at the top of their game and some of them, with the decisions they were making, looked tired and lacklustre.
"To lose 4-0 is a very bitter pill to take but I have to congratulate Notts Forest as they looked better and sharper than us. It was a long, horrible day."