Wednesday moved into fifth place and within four points of the automatic promotion places after a victory over QPR that was more convincing than the single goal scoreline suggests.
There was more urgency, pace and energy to our build-up play when compared to recent home games but, once again, the finishing failed to match the approach work.
The only goal came five minutes from half time when David Jones’ miscued shot from the edge of the box fortunately found its way to Gary Hooper and he turned the ball home from close range.
Daniel Pudil should have put us ahead earlier, with what would have been his second goal in two matches, but when the ball dropped to him unmarked and only six yards out he could only hit the bar.
Our slick passing movements continued to pose a largely lacklustre Rangers plenty of problems after the break but that second goal just would not come.
Fernando Forestieiri twice fired just wide and Hooper was within inches of turning home Adam Reach’s low cross but we rarely tested Alex Smithies in the QPR goal, despite our dominance.
At the other end, Cameron Dawson pulled off an excellent close-range stop to deny Nedum Onuoha in the second half. Then, when the visitors staged a late rally, Dawson found himself stranded on the edge of his box after racing out from goal but Tom Lees was on hand to clear off the line from the dangerous Tjaronn Chery.
Our sixth victory in nie games sees us move up to fifth place on 24 points, four behind second-placed Brighton.