Swansea City 1-0 Queens Park Rangers: Joel Piroe pounces for vital Swans win
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Chris Willock of QPR tussles for possession with Jamie Paterson of Swansea City
Joel Piroe made up for an earlier penalty miss to send Swansea City to a second Championship win of the season, as they held off Queens Park Rangers.
The Dutch striker rolled the ball past Seny Dieng after Ollie Cooper had stolen possession.
Dieng had earlier excelled in saving Piroe's spot kick, after Jimmy Dunne had been penalised for handball.
QPR's Chris Willock was a constant threat but the striker could not extend his four-match scoring streak.
Swansea had been denied a second league win of the season in midweek after Stoke City conjured a last-gasp equaliser, although the point was enough to take Russell Martin's side out of the relegation places.
QPR, in contrast, had enjoyed a comfortable 3-1 win over Hull City to rise to ninth - just a point off the play-off places.
Hoops boss Mick Beale had also enjoyed a productive end of the transfer window, on the final day bringing in Aston Villa teenage midfielder Tim Iroegbunam on loan and having secured experienced former Glasgow Rangers defender Leon Balogun a few days before.
Those two were named on the bench as Beale kept faith with the same starting XI that saw off Hull.
Swansea have been bolstered by the loan arrivals of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Luke Cundle, winger Armstrong Oko-Flex from West Ham United and Brentford defender Fin Stevens.
But their measure of success was not so much in players arriving but in players not departing south Wales, with the club able to stave off interest in key forwards Piroe and Michael Obafemi, although Obafemi was rested from the match squad.
Swansea welcomed Ben Cabango back from suspension following his red card against Middlesbrough on 27 August, with the Wales defender straight back into the starting line-up.
Martin promoted goalkeeper Steven Benda in favour of Andy Fisher, while Jamie Patterson got the nod over Jay Fulton in attack.
Cabango almost gifted QPR a goal from kick-off with a weak back-header to Benda, rescuing the situation with a surreptitious tug-back on Willock that was just enough to stall the QPR forward and escape the notice of referee Oliver Langford.
The visitors wasted another opportunity when an attempted Swansea through-ball was cleared to catch the home side short at the back, only for Illias Chair to spurn a two-on-one as his poor pass sailed beyond Willock.
Swansea continued to probe for that killer pass, though, against a QPR defence holding a high line and next time brilliantly sprung the offside trap to send Matty Sorinola clear with two team-mates in support. His ball was even worse than Chair's earlier muffed effort, placed behind Piroe who was clear in front of goal.
When Ryan Manning's left-wing cross was adjudged to have been handled by QPR defender Dunne, perhaps harshly as some chest might have been involved, referee Langford pointed to the spot. Piroe stepped up but his penalty was saved by Dien diving full-stretch low to his left.
Swansea heads could have been forgiven for going down but instead Martin's players redoubled their efforts, harrying QPR in possession and forcing the error that led to the crucial goal.
Sam Field, under pressure, could not fully control a spinning ball off his chest and Ollie Cooper nipped in to steal the ball and square to Piroe, who this time sent Dieng the wrong way to score his third goal of the season.
QPR responded and Lyndon Dykes almost broke clear on the right only to be outmuscled by two Swansea defenders, before Chair had a fierce shot palmed over by Benda.
It was end-to-end stuff and only the outstretched foot of Dieng prevented Swans skipper Matt Grimes from doubling the lead before half-time from a corner.
Cabango started the second half with another notable header, this time of the welcome variety for Swansea, as he flashed just wide of the QPR goal from a corner.
It then took Kenneth Paal's brilliant sliding tackle to deny Cooper as the Swans forward bore down on goal.
As a steady drizzle set in both managers turned to their benches, with Wales forward Tyler Roberts coming on for Dykes up front for QPR, while Oko-Flex made his Swans debut.
Liam Cullen had also been introduced for Swansea but lasted a matter of minutes before going down clutching a suspected dislocated shoulder, with Stevens then getting his debut, closely followed by fellow new face Cundle.
Roberts almost made an immediate impact, forcing a good stop from Benda, while QPR fans were also treated to a first sight off the bench of Iroegbunam.
Piroe had a chance to make the points safe but could not keep his header down from Manning's free-kick, but this time there was to be no late sting in the tail and Swansea claimed a well-deserved and much-needed win.
Swansea City manager Russel Martin said:
"The fans were incredible, they helped us so much today.
"We didn't have most of the ball at home. We've spent well over 24 hours on a bus with Middlesbrough and Stoke this week. A lot of tired legs. It's such a young team at the end, and they helped us so much. I think we had an average age of 23 in the end with so many debuts as well.
"The fans were incredible, I loved the atmosphere. We've been through a bit of a sticky patch, especially at home, so I feel like that's a huge win for everyone, including the supporters."
Queens Park Rangers manager Mick Beale said:
"Cabango's a lucky boy., he's definitely made a mistake and pulled him (Willock) back.
"Chris has been an honest boy. I think if Chris falls over he's (Cabango) gone. He didn't and we shouldn't be asking a player to fall over because we don't like that in our game.
"It's really early in the game but he's through on goal. I'm not going to be that type of manager that sits here and canes the referee.
"But I think that's a tough call and if it's at the other end then Russell (Martin) is saying the same. He's made a bad call there and on the penalty as well."