Substitute Peter Lovenkrands' 71st minute winner was the deciding factor as Coca Cola Championship winners Newcastle United took maximum points against ten-man QPR at Loftus Road.

On a day when the R's faithful paid tribute to record appearance holder Tony Ingham, who sadly passed after illness last week, Lovenkrands ensured the Geordies of the win with a delicious chip over Radek Cerny from the edge of the penalty area, after United hit QPR on the break.

The result was harsh on the Hoops, who were more than a match for the Toon Army - even after Peter Ramage was shown his marching orders on 46 minutes after a professional foul on Shola Ameobi.

Rangers should have grabbed a point late on when Jay Simpson was put through on goal and one-on-one with Tim Krul, though the keeper did brilliantly well to block the forward's effort away.

QPR chief Neil Warnock made two changes for the visit of champions Newcastle United in a 4-4-2 formation.

Lee Cook was handed a start on the left-hand side of midfield at the expense of Josh Parker.

Meanwhile, Simpson came into the Rangers attack at the expense of Antonio German.

Cerny was in goal for QPR, behind a back four of Mikele Leigertwood, Ramage, Kaspars Gorkss and Dusko Tosic.

In midfield, Hogan Ephraim and Cook began out on the flanks, with Alejandro Faurlin and Akos Buzsaky in the centre.

Simpson was up front alongside Tamas Priskin.

There was not much to separate the sides in the opening ten minutes, though QPR fashioned the first shot in on goal when Priskin let fly with a shot 25 yards from goal that went well wide of Krul's left-hand post.

Moments later, Ryan Taylor and Wayne Routledge combined 20-yards out, before the latter drilled an effort in on target that was comfortably held by Cerny in the R's goal.

Soon after, Rangers missed a superb opportunity to take the lead.

Ephraim's sweeping corner from the left was cleared only as far Buzsaky ten-yards out, but the Magical Magyar could only smash an effort handsomely over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

The R's were more than holding their own against the division's runaway winners. Left-back Tosic received possession out wide, cutting in before firing an effort straight at Krul 18 yards from goal.

Play soon switched to the other end. Krul's sizeable goal-kick was met by the head of Leon Best, and when the striker flicked the ball on to Ameobi, he could only blast an effort over the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Though it was QPR who were posing more of a threat on goal. This time, midfielder Ephraim drove at the Magpies' back four before sliding Simpson through on goal, though Mike Williamson came across to slide the ball out of play for a corner.

Gorkss and Simpson then combined, with the frontman squaring to Buzsaky 25-yards out. Rangers' number ten looked up before firing an effort wide of the left-hand post.

Rangers should have been ahead on the stroke of the interval. Faurlin's 60-yard cutting through ball put Simpson through on goal, before the hotshot rushed his effort with a shot from the edge of the box that trickled into the hands of Krul for the champions.

The Geordies were first on the attack as the closing period got off and underway in a sequence of play that resulted in the Hoops being reduced to ten men.

After Ameobi was put clean through on goal, Ramage slid in to try and prevent his run but took the striker's legs instead of the ball.

The referee was left with little other available option, sending the defender off for a professional foul against his boyhood Club.

United then almost snatched the lead moments later when Best burst into the penalty area down the right, before shooting wide when under pressure from Leigertwood.

At the other end, good passing play from the R's resulted in Buzsaky having enough space and time on the ball from 25-yards out to look up and smash a shot in on goal, though his effort went high and wide of the crossbar for the hosts.

Moments later, Ephraim found possession out on the left, before cutting in to fire an effort from 18-yards out straight at Krul.

Rangers were probably still the better side, even with ten men, though they were caught on the break when United stole the points on 70 minutes.

Joey Barton ran at the R's defence before sliding substitute Lovenkrands through on goal, and the striker was coolness personified inside the box to dink the ball over the onrushing Cerny and into the back of the net for Newcastle.

The R's wasted a golden chance to level matters soon after when Priskin released Simpson through on goal, though the loanee could only blast an effort straight at the keeper. 

QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Leigertwood, Buzsaky, Gorkss, Cook (Parker 50), Faurlin, Simpson, Ephraim (Rose 77), Tosic, Priskin.

Subs: Putnins, Balanta, Brown, Oastler, German.

Newcastle United: Krul, Coloccini, Williamson, Barton, Guthrie (Vuckic 78), Routledge, Simpson, R. Taylor, Smith, Best (Lovenkrands 54), Ameobi (Carroll 78).

Subs: Harper, Nolan, Pancrate, Donaldson.

Goals: Lovenkrands (71)

Bookings: R. Taylor

Referee: Mr D Deadman

Attendance: 16, 819 (2980)