Queens Park Rangers 2 - 0 Birmingham: Birmingham's play-off hopes take a hit as QPR cruise to victory

First-half goals from Tjaronn Chery and Junior Hoilett gave QPR a 2-0 victory at home to Birmingham.

Chery, recalled b b by boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, struck 10 minutes before half-time - his sixth goal of the season and second in three matches.

James Perch pulled the ball back from the left and Chery showed great composure to steady himself and fire low into the far corner.

And Hoilett doubled the lead from the penalty spot four minutes later after Sebastian Polter had been brought down by Michael Morrison.

Polter, preferred to Conor Washington up front, turned away from Paul Robinson and Morrison was arguably fortunate to escape with just a yellow card after bringing down the German as he was about to shoot.

Earlier, Chery's deflected shot deflected narrowly wide and Birmingham's David Cotterill fired wide after being picked out by Jacques Maghoma.

Cotterill and Maghoma were also involved in a determined start to the second half by Gary Rowett's side, who have scored just two goals in their last five matches.

Following a goalmouth scramble, Congolese midfielder Maghoma saw his goal-bound shot blocked by Karl Henry.

And Cotterill brought a good save from R's keeper Alex Smithies with a powerfully-struck free-kick b as the home team briefly seemed troubledb .

But Birmingham b were b soon on the back foot again and Tomasz Kuszczak prevented a third QPR goal by tipping over Massimo Luongo's shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Gabriele Angella should have extended the hosts' lead from the resulting corner by Chery b ,b but b he b headed straight at the Blues keeper.

Chery was then denied by Kuszczak, who saved with his legs after the Dutchman had been put through on the right-hand side of the area by Luongo's clever pass.

Birmingham rallied late on, with Cotterill sending an effort wide, Clayton Donaldson shooting over from Ryan Shotton's cross, and Smithies keeping out Robinson's far-post header from Cotterill's left-wing corner.

But they were unable to find the net - substitute James Vaughan missed another chance for them, heading over from Cotterill's free-kick - and the defeat is a blow to their play-off bid.

They dropped to eighth in the Championship table, while QPR's win was only their third in 16 matches since Hasselbaink took over as manager in early December.

Rangers remained a threat on the counter-attack in the second half and the busy Luongo had a stinging drive saved by Kuszczak with a couple of minutes remaining.

Kuszczak also held an injury-time shot from Washington after the striker had come on as a substitute. b