QPR 3 Wigan Athletic 1

It means Paul Cook's mean slip into the bottom three for the first time in his tenure with a performance matching that of their lowly position.

Cedric Kipre had given the visitors a second-minute lead with Paul Cook’s men coming out the blocks flying.

But after a solid first 45, Latics fell to pieces after the break with a mixture of poor defending and abject goalkeeping seeing QPR fire three past them, thanks to efforts from Nahki Wells, Ebere Eze and substitute Jordan Hugill.

Latics’ positive start came with the game just a couple of minutes old as their defenders turned into attackers.

A dangerous corner by Danny Fox was flicked on by Michael Jacobs before Kipre headed home his first goal for the club in 44 appearances.

The visitors continued their bright start and looked to double their lead with some early pressure. Lee Evans was the next to cross in a dangerous corner that seemed to hover on the edge of the six-yard box for an age before QPR cleared their lines.

The hosts looked rattled but as Latics started to back off, they began to find their feet.

Kipre, who eight minutes earlier had connected with a sweet header in the opposition box, missed one in his own and gifted Ilias Chair with a chance to level proceedings. Fortunately the Moroccan’s header was tame and drifted wide.

Minutes later, Eze found himself with far too much time and space at the edge of the box, but blasted his shot wide.

The Latics side-netting took a double beating, first from Wells before Chair found the other side.

But after the first half peetered out with Latics seemingly composed, the second started in the worst possible fashion.

Ryan Manning’s cross from the left wasn’t dealt with by defenders or goalkeeper David Marshall, who appeared to flap at the ball.

Wells took full advantage and fired home the equaliser.

After that, it was only one way traffic with the home side well on top and Latics becoming their own worst enemy.

Callum Lang replaced Jamal Lowe to add some firepower in the Latics attack, a substitution that suggests the visitors weren’t happy to settle for the point.

But the 20-year-old didn’t see much of the ball with most of the game played in the Latics half.

Rangers had their lead on the hour after Kipre was caught with a high foot on the edge of the box… and somehow escaped a booking.

Up stepped Eze who placed an effort into the bottom corner but it’s certainly one Marshall will look at and feel he could have done better with.

Lang nearly levelled for Latics after another pinpoint Fox corner, but other than that it was all QPR.

A great passing move saw Wells fire wide before Hugill, a Latics target in the summer, came on as a sub and orchestrated the miss of the season.

Latics’ defence was cut open far too easily again and Hugill found the ball at his feet, with an open goal, three yards out, but somehow managed to blast over.

However, after a number of other near-misses, the hosts killed the game off through Hugill.

The striker was gifted too much time and, ultimately, too much space on the edge of the box. Marshall inexplicably came off his line, positioned himself very poorly, and Hugill curled it into the bottom corner.

QPR: Lumley, Hall, Pugh (Hugill 68), Eze, Scowen (Leistner 45), Ball (Smith 71), Manning, Chair, Wells, Rangel, Barbet

Subs: Kelly, Kane, Hugill, Osayi-Samuel, Owens

Latics: Marshall, Byrne, Robinson, Morsy, Fox, Evans, Lowe (Lang 59), Garner, Jacobs (Naismith 56), Kipre (Massey 78), Dunkley

Subs: Jones, MacLeod, Mulgrew, Roberts