Hull City once again failed to build on a couple of good results by losing 2-1 at home to in-form QPR courtesy of a scrambled goal 25 minutes from time and a second shortly after at a flat MKM Stadium, missing the chance to move away from the relegation zone.

City created enough in what was a low-key game but again failed to take their moments and were punished after a succession of ricochets, which fell kindly to Kenneth Paal to turn in from close range, before the points were made safe six minutes later to seal a fourth straight win for Rangers and deepen the Tigers' relegation woes, though Joe Gelhardt's stunning volley five minutes from time did at least give them some hope, but there was to be no repeat of the dramatic Leeds fightback.

Boss Ruben Selles will be hugely frustrated at the way in which his side allowed Rangers to ease into the lead, without really having to do much, so sloppy were the nature of the goals, and reaffirmed the job facing the Spaniard in keeping City in this division, especially with the league's worst home record.

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Selles made three changes from the winning side at Millwall on Saturday, with Cody Drameh coming in for the injured Lewie Coyle, while Harry Vaughan replaced Abu Kamara, who wasn't in the squad having picked up a minor niggle at The Den, and Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt made his full debut at the expense of Mason Burstow, with him dropping to the bench. Despite a possible move away from the club, Xavier Simons was named on the bench, where there was again no Ryan Giles, Ryan Longman, Chris Bedia and Anthony Racioppi as they close in on their respective exits. New signing Kyle Joseph wasn't signed in time to be involved, while Eliot Matazo and Lincoln watched from the chairman's suite with owner Acun Ilicali.

Rangers fashioned the first chance inside four minutes when Ilias Chair skipped past Sean McLoughlin on the left side of City's box, he slipped, and the lively number 10 tried to catch out Carl Rushworth at his near post, but he turned it over. From that corner, the teasing ball into the box skimmed through the box and away to safety. Moments later, Fin Burns and Rushworth got themselves in a tangle, before just about escaping.

Clever play from Harry Vaughan kept City in attack mode, and his pull-back found Alzate in space and he drove wide of the far post, and moments later, the hosts came even closer. A delightful run from Vaughan took him past three before his shot forced Paul Nardi to turn behind at the near post following a flowing move from back to front.

That corner should have been turned in after it was flicked on at the near post, but it evaded everyone and skipped wide of the back stick when it should have been turned home.

Rangers began to take control of the half, largely due to City's inability to keep the ball, and instead gave it back to the visitors, who were keen to take advantage. A flurry of corners eventually saw Morgan Fox hit the outside of the post with a deflected shot off Alzate before Rushworth eventually claimed the resulting corner to see out a nervy spell.

More good play from Vaughan saw him fouled outside the box after a clever flick from Puerta, but bizarrely, referee Benjamin Speedie in his first Championship game, opted not to caution Paul Smyth for the very definition of a cynical challenge. Puerta then smashed the free-kick miles over the bar, albeit from the angle.

Vaughan again showed good feet to fashion an opening, but Smyth stuck to the task well to block his shot before Burns was the first booking of the evening after a cynical challenge inside City territory, and probably one he needed to make with Rangers bearing down on the Tigers box.

Selles' men started the second half brightly, with Jones glancing a header which was easy for the goalkeeper, and after winning it back quickly, Gelhardt couldn't get a shot away inside the box, though it fell kindly to Slater who pulled a left-footed drive wide of the near post.

Kieran Morgan was booked for a lunge on Vaughan after 10 minutes of the second half as City pushed for the breakthrough, and it almost came from a fierce Puerta corner shortly after when Gelhardt rose to head over under pressure from the goalkeeper.

Rangers boss Marti Cifuentes made a double change before the hour, taking off Chair and Kolli with Koki Saito and Alfie Lloyd on in their place.

A rare Rangers attack saw Smyth force a terrific save from Rushworth diving away to his left to palm it away from danger before Morgan slammed wide from a tight angle. City could not ease the pressure and after a scramble inside the box, and a terrific goal-line clearance from Jones, Paal scrambled in the opener with 25 minutes to go.

Selles made a double change when he took off Puerta and Vaughan for Matt Crooks and Mason Burstow, but Rangers took the game away from the hosts moments later when Saito slammed in from a tight angle to double their lead.

Gelhardt's fantastic volleyed lob finish with six minutes to go threatened to create a grandstand finish on his debut, but they couldn't fashion that one moment and were left to reflect on another damaging defeat and another chance passed up to build on two good results against Leeds and Millwall.

City: Rushworth, McLoughlin, Jones (c), Burns, Drameh, Alzate, Puerta, Slater, Vaughan, Gelhardt, Pedro. Subs: Pandur, Simons, Crooks, Smith, Jacob, Amrabat, R Coyle, Myers, Burstow

QPR: Nardi, Dunne, Field (c), Chair, Smyth, Fox, Edwards, Morgan, Paal, Kolli, Varane. Subs: Walsh (GK), Colback. Frey, Saito, Dixon-Bonner, Ashby, Madsen, Bennie, Lloyd

Referee: Benjamin Speedie

Attendance: 19,180