Brighton & Hove Albion have picked up a first away win at Queens Park Rangers since 1957 by coming out on top 2-1 in Friday evening's Championship clash at Loftus Road.
A fifth victory in their last six outings lifts the Seagulls back above Newcastle United to the top of the table, with the gap on third-placed Huddersfield Town now standing at 12 points after playing two games more.
Brighton have the finishing line in sight as they close in on a first ever promotion to the Premier League, sealing the three precious points thanks to goals from Glenn Murray and Sebastien Pocognoli in the English capital.
QPR midfielder Ravel Morrison started a game for the first time since appearing for Lazio in a Europa League tie 17 months ago, but he failed to inspire his side in a slow start to the contest.
It took until just short of the half-hour mark for the first serious attempt of the game, as Solly March sent a shot straight at Alex Smithies from range.
Conor Washington ran at the opposition defence and shot over the bar soon after from one of QPR's better openings of the half, before Murray converted from an Anthony Knockaert cross, only for the offside flag to go up.
The offside flag also cut short Tomer Hemed's celebrations after he found a way through, in what was proving to be a frustrating evening for those forward players in West London.
Knockaert had a free kick punched away and Matt smith headed straight at David Stockdale as both teams came close to an opener early in the second period.
The opener did eventually arrive an hour into the Championship clash, though, with Murray getting on the end of Hemed's pass and coolly slotting the ball home for goal number 20 of the season.
Pocognoli superbly curled a second into the top corner from a free kick for the second, seemingly putting Albion - without a win away to QPR in 11 previous outings - well on course for the victory they craved.
A third loss in succession for QPR was not exactly a formality, however, as Smith climbed highest from a corner to head home what would ultimately prove to be a mere consolation.
Rangers upped the pressure in the remaining 15 minutes and forced Stockdale into action on a couple of occasions, but in the end Brighton successfully held out to tick one more game off the promotion list.
Daniel Lewis
