Premier League: QPR 3 Wigan 1

Mark Hughes enjoyed his first Premier League win at the helm of QPR with a 3-1 victory over the bottom side Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Goals from Heidur Helguson and Akos Buszaky put the home side two in front in a scintillating first half performance before Hugo Rodallega ensured a tight finish with half an hour to go.

Tommy Smith then scored a wonder goal with ten minutes left to give Hughes’ men all three points.

Helguson missed a second half penalty, but it mattered little as the Londoners sauntered to victory.

Athletic went within inches of opening the scoring inside three minutes as Steve Gohouri got on the end of a Jordi Gomez free kick, but Gohouri skewed his right footed volley wide of the far post with Hugo Rodallega lurking close by.

A bright start from QPR was almost rewarded as first a cross that swirled in the air from Luke Young was headed for the top corner before Ali Al-Habsi tipped it over the bar and then DJ Campbell went close with a back header that the keeper stopped.

With the home side camped in the Wigan half, Campbell should have done better with a chance on the edge of the area after Jamie Mackie had capitalised on a Gohouri mistake.

As the first half went on it was not hard to see why Wigan sit bottom of the Premier League as they lacked any quality when on the ball.

Buzsaky almost broke the deadlock on the half hour mark with a moment of real quality, after he turned away from James McCarthy 25 yards out and struck a vicious shot just wide of the far post.

The breakthrough that QPR deserved duly came in the 33rd minute from the penalty spot as top scorer Helguson slotted his ninth goal of the season after McCarthy had inexplicably handballed in the area.

Hughes’ men then doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time with a magnificent free-kick from Buzsaky.

Campbell had done well to win the set piece from 25 yards out before the Hungarian international struck the ball with great whip and venom as the ball hit both posts before nestling in the back of the net.

Against the run of play Rodallega scored a sublime free kick in the 66th minute, for just his second goal of the season.

A soft free-kick was given away by Buzsaky on the edge of the area and the under pressure Colombian striker stepped up to stroke the ball into the top corner with keeper Paddy Kenny rooted to the spot.

Substitute Smith made sure of all three points for Hughes’ men, however, as a ball inside from Shaun Wright-Phillips found the winger in plenty of space before he let fly from 25 yards to find the top corner and ensure the home fans left happy with Rangers winning for the first time in ten attempts.