Queens Park Rangers 0-3 Luton Town: Carlton Morris double helps sinks Rs
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Carlton Morris moved on to 10 goals in the Championship this season with his double at Loftus Road
Two goals from Luton Town striker Carlton Morris helped inflict a first defeat on Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Critchley in his maiden home match in charge of the Rs.
Morris put the Hatters ahead in the 10th minute with a fine low strike from the edge of the area and doubled the lead early in the second half from a free-kick.
Tyler Roberts flicked a header on to the top of the crossbar as QPR looked to mount a comeback, while Lyndon Dykes sent a volley agonisingly wide of the post.
Alfie Doughty sealed the win with a stunning effort from just outside the box with nine minutes left as Luton recorded their first league victory at Loftus Road since October 1984.
The result takes Rob Edwards' men up from 13th place in the Championship to seventh in the table and only outside of the play-off places on goal difference.
Morris had already tested Rs keeper Seny Dieng with an acrobatic volley before he put the visitors ahead with a drilled strike across goal, with his left-footed shot passing through the legs of Ethan Laird before nestling in the bottom right-hand corner.
QPR had more of the ball but struggled to find a way through a resolute Luton defence, with Ilias Chair a bright spark before the Morocco international was withdrawn midway through the second half.
By that time Luton were two goals to the good, with an unmarked Morris on hand to guide the ball in at the back post after a free-kick from James Bree had flicked off the head of Kenneth Paal.
Morris had a hand in the third too, linking up with Doughty before the midfielder unleashed a blistering left-footed strike to complete the victory.
Rangers were top of the Championship in late October but a six-match winless run, which coincided with the departure of Michael Beale to Scottish giants Rangers, saw the west Londoners slide down the table and out of the play-off-places.
Critchley had won his first game at Preston following his appointment before a goalless draw at Cardiff on Boxing Day, but he has inherited a goal-shy side who have found the back of the net just twice in nine league games.
A fourth straight home league defeat means QPR are on their worse run of form at Loftus Road since the 2014-15 season, when the Hoops were relegated from the Premier League.
Luton impressed with their defensive organisation, with the Hatters backing up their win over Norwich three days ago by completing a first league double over QPR since the 1984-85 season.
QPR boss Neil Critchley:
"It was a very disappointing evening. The game has been decided in both penalty boxes and the timing of the goals we gave away were really poor.
"The story of our night was that we failed a lot - with our final ball and decision-making. We also didn't get that bit of luck in front of goal that you might need.
"The second goal is the biggest disappointment for me because I felt at 1-0 that in the second half the game would follow a similar pattern to the first in that we were in the ascendancy. That second goal had a huge bearing on the outcome of the game.
"When you've been beaten 3-0 it looks like there's been chance after chance and you've been well beaten, but I didn't think we were. Seny Dieng had very little to do and has picked the ball out of the net three times."
Luton manager Rob Edwards:
"I don't think we were at our best. I still want more.
"But we were ruthless at one end and defended like warriors when we had to - which these lads do really well and enjoy doing.
"Once we got the first goal we just quietened everyone a little bit and then were able to manage it fairly well. The timing of the second goal was great and that allowed us to be solid and try to pick them off.
"We probably didn't have that snap and that bite we had against Norwich, but full credit because they really put a shift in."