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Tommy Conway wins and scores from the spot for Middlesbrough to seal a 4-0 win at QPR and open up a four-point lead over third-placed Millwall Hayden Hackney and Alan Browne scored in quick succession for Boro to open up their lead in the second half David Strelec bundled in the opener in contentious circumstances The ball appeared to strike the forward's elbow from Morgan Whittaker's shot before it crossed the line at Loftus Road Get Involved: Via the yellow button, #bbcefl on X, Whats App on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Alex Hoad and Lennan Tomlins FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough QPR QPR head coach Julien Stephan told Sky Sports: "The reality is they are better technically, physically, in all aspects of the game in fact. "After the first goal we dropped, it was more difficult. Not too bad the start of the second half and we felt it was possible to create something in transition but the second and third so quickly killed the game "They showed great quality offensively. They are strong too, using the ball to create danger. "Technically we lost a lot of balls and when you give so many to the opponents it's easier for them to use it. " Asked about the potential handball in the first goal, Stephan added: "I don't know and don't want to speak about it. " FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Rangers: Atrocious passing; No football brains; No threat; Poor defending; Late substitutions; Saito, Morgan, Kone, Varane out of the game; Players give away needless, stupid fouls; No idea at throw-ins; Tardy distribution from Walsh. The warnings were there for all to see and no one did anything about it! Julian, Kingston FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Two best teams at the top, have said it for most of the season. Looks like the play-offs for Ipswich. Steve, Freckenham FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Boro head coach Kim Hellberg told Sky Sports: "It was about the performance and the performance was very good - a good three points. We were brave, and we improved our goal difference. "We had more opportunities in the first half but overall it was a top performance. " On the suggestion of a David Strelec handball for the opener, Hellberg laughed: "We have every decision against us for a number of games, I hadn't even thought about it. " He added: "They had some opportunities but over 90 minutes away from home there will be moments when the opposition are better. It was a more even game but except those ten minuets we were in control and I am very happy with the performance. " On Hayden Hackney: "He showed his class in a lot of things, not only the goal. Though it was a good one. He is a top performer and a joy to work with him every day. " On the promotion race: "I'll have to be boring, we have 10 games to go, the next one is Charlton and that's the most important game. We take it one time at a time. It will be an intense week. " FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Boro seem destined for the Premier League and their fans and players deserve it. Luke Ayling showing real experienced leadership. Bach, Wolverhampton The Boro were sheer class today. A lot of their rivals will be worried when they watch Boro's classy football. Fantastic. Roger, Middlesbrough FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough The QPR manager is sauntering to a mid/low-table finish with seeming no emphasis on fighting. We needs the board to put down some markers so we see some improvement otherwise his time is nearly up, I'm afraid - we've a decent squad that should be doing better. Ian, Worthing Just get worse, but let's look to next season and hopefully we will have a fully-fit squad. And keep the manager. Tucker, Leicestershire FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Boro goalscorer Hayden Hackney told Sky Sports: "It couldn't have gone much better. Brilliant away performance and a massive three points. "We're trying to take it game by game. The manager is good at keeping us grounded. We'll keep preparing for each game as they come and hopefully we can get it done. "I'm loving every minute, obviously there's pressure on but you have to enjoy those high-pressure moments. "We're all pushing in one direction. We have got a good balance of young and experienced players. " On head coach Kim Hellberg: "Training is tough, intense, a lot of going over clips from previous games. He's putting everyone in the position where they can show their best attributes, he's doing that for me. " On his goal: "I had one in the first half and I was gutted not to score. It was more or less the same chance. " FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough I'm afraid it was men against babies, and not very good babies at that. What is happening once again at my beloved QPR? It is so sad. Steve, Ascot Will QPR ever win again? The manager keeps changing the format and players every week. No consistency. Minus 11 goals in three games, well I suppose that's consistent. Michael, London FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Neil Maddison Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Radio Tees There's 10 games left, there's still going to be twists, but you have to stick behind them. We've had some disappointing results recently but they've come back, and I've always said we can get back into things and get back on track. We've got two games at home now, and that will be the test. Can you break down a stubborn low block against Charlton? FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Two weeks in a row Boro have had to follow their rivals, and for the second week in a row they have done so in style. They have trimmed Coventry's lead, kept Millwall and Ipswich at arm's length, and have also boosted their goal difference which may yet be vital in a tight tussle with the Tractor Boys. As for QPR, March is not typically beach weather, but. .. they are pretty much there. FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Good to see our goal difference is creeping up too - might make all the difference at the end of the season. Paul, London That victory has Middlesbrough on +23. Coventry still a way clear on +36 but crucially Boro are closing in on Ipswich's +26, which could make the difference come May, while Millwall are further back on +9. I can't remember a season with this many three and four-goal scorelines for Boro. Unbelievable stuff, and crucial to keeping promotion in our own hands! Adam, Birmingham This Boro are on roll and will be hard to stop. Susan, Hampshire FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Neil Maddison Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Radio Tees I thought we were well in control of the game. The first 10 minutes of the second half it opened up, but then we showed our quality and ruthlessness. QPR gambled a little bit and we were able to capitalise. We've put QPR to bed and played some wonderful football. We move on to Wednesday against Charlton and that's not going to be easy. FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough A word on QPR. Cruelly that is now a combined 0-11 in their past three games. They have it a good go at the start of the second half but in truth their injury-depleted squad could not live with the visitors, who put on one of the most effervescent displays seen in the Championship this season. FT: QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough That's also a first clean sheet in 13 games on the road for Kim Hellberg's side, their last came against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on 22 October. Incredibly, Boro have also rewritten their own record books. .. after wins at Millwall and Charlton, they have now won three games in London in the same season for the first time in their 150-year history. On this evidence you think they'll have bigger things to celebrate in the next couple of months, however. .. QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Boro might be the streakiest team in the Championship at the moment, but when they are on it, they are ON it, and today, they really were. The confidence oozed through their approach play at a difficult ground against a committed team, where Coventry came a cropper just five weeks ago remember. David Strelec's opening goal on 20 minutes was not a thing of beauty, the ball deflecting off his arm from Morgan Whittaker's bobbling shot, but the rest were. QPR began the second half well and Boro had to wait until 68 minutes to make the points safe as Alan Browne nodded in the rebound after Luke Ayling's sumptuous chipped volley came back off the bar while Hayden Hackney curled a glorious third soon after and sub Tommy Conway added some gloss with a late fourth from the penalty spot. On this display, Boro will be very tough to stop, but the Championship can be a cruel mistress and who knows what the final 10 games have in store. QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough There will just be the THREE added minutes for QPR to endure. An act of kindness from ref Josh Smith, to be honest. .. QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Neil Maddison Former Middlesbrough midfielder on BBC Radio Tees There's been many good players this afternoon, but for me, Aidan Morris is my man of the match. He has been absolutely everywhere. He's constantly been on the ball, and he still wants it even now. QPR 0-4 Middlesbrough Rob Law BBC Radio 5 Live reporter at Riverside Stadium Middlesbrough wrap up the three points in convincing fashion. Conway puts the final nail in the coffin this afternoon. Tommy Conway Tommy Conway wins it, takes it and scores it. .. just. That's his fourth goal in as many appearances against the Hoops as he fires low to Joe Walsh's left and though the keeper gets a good hand to it, it sneaks into the corner. QPR 0-3 Middlesbrough More champagne football from the visitors as Aidan Morris threads the ball into the box for Tommy Conway who darts inside and is brought down by Tylon Smith in the box. He hasn't had a touch since coming on. Poor lad. Boro have the chance of a fourth. .. Hayden Hackney [right] scored Middlesbrough's third goal of the game with a brilliant, curling effort Outstanding Middlesbrough blew away Queens Park Rangers to lay down a big marker in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League. Goals from David Strelec, Alan Browne, Hayden Hackney and a Tommy Conway penalty secured a thumping victory over the Rs at Loftus Road. Boro led through Strelec's controversial opener at the break - with replays showing the ball had gone in off his elbow - before the hosts came out fighting in the second half. But Browne's headed goal on 68 minutes extinguished any hopes of a fightback as Hackney curled in a sumptuous third, four minutes later. Harvey Vale rattled the post for the home side before Boro substitute Conway won and the converted a late penalty to complete a scintillating performance from Kim Hellberg's team. Boro's grip on second place tightens as they move to 69 points, five behind league leaders Coventry City and four clear of third-placed Millwall, while QPR stay 16th. Tommy Conway came off the bench to net Boro's fourth goal, winning a penalty and scoring from the spot For all Middlesbrough's dominance and quality on the ball, QPR will have felt slightly aggrieved as to how they found themselves 2-0 down. Both Strelec's opener and Browne's headed goal came with more than a hint of fortune. Morgan Whittaker's shot deflected in off Strelec's elbow to give the visitors the lead, while the second goal came from a corner that replays showed should have been given as a goal kick after clearly going out of play off Jeremy Sarmiento rather than the challenge of Ronnie Edwards. But from their overall play, Boro were well worthy of the lead and there was nothing controversial about the third - which was a thing of beauty. Picking up a pass from Conway, Middlesbrough captain Hackney took a touch before bending brilliantly around the dive of Joe Walsh and in off the far post. QPR substitute Tylon Smith's clumsy challenge sent Conway to the deck, with the Scotland international squeezing the spot kick just below the dive of Walsh, with the Rs keeper getting a hand to it. Boro host Charlton Athletic and Bristol City next before a visit to Blackburn, followed by a potentially huge match in the promotion race against Millwall at the Riverside on Friday, 3 April. Julien Stephan's QPR side have now lost four of their past five games but have a comfortable 12-point cushion to the drop zone. With a 10-point gap between them and the play-off places, Stephan will be keen to ensure their season does not fizzle out with little to play for. After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 8th March 2026 at 18: 26 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Julien Stéphan Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 Manager: Kim Hellberg Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1 Manager: Julien Stéphan Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 Manager: Kim Hellberg Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1 Championship All competitions All competitions All competitions QPR have lost their last four league games against Middlesbrough but have never lost five in a row against Boro previously. Middlesbrough have won their last two league visits to Queens Park Rangers, having won just three of their first 26 visits beforehand between 1966 and 2022. Since Christmas, only Sheffield Wednesday (0), West Brom (1) and Leicester (2) have won fewer Championship matches than QPR (3), who’ve lost their last two by an aggregate score of 7-0. Middlesbrough have won nine away league games this season are looking to reach double figures for away wins in a season for the ninth time – five of the previous eight have come this century (2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2023-24). Middlesbrough defender Matt Targett scored twice in the first half of their 3-1 win over Birmingham on Monday, scoring as many times in that game as he had done in his previous 74 league games combined. Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.