Middlesbrough crush QPR to boost promotion bid

Middlesbrough stepped up their bid for promotion to the Premier League with a 4-0 demolition of QPR on Sunday.

Kim Hellberg's side coasted to a valuable victory at Loftus Road, cementing their grip on second place in the Championship.

With 10 games left, Middlesbrough are four points clear of third-placed Millwall in the race for automatic promotion via a top two finish.

Fourth-placed Ipswich could move to within two points of Middlesbrough if they win their game in hand.

David Strelec put Middlesbrough ahead in controversial fashion in the 20th minute.

Riley McGree collected Hayden Hackney's pass and played a low ball towards Morgan Whittaker. 

The striker's shot was off-target but ricocheted back to him off QPR defender Rhys Norrington-Davies.

Whittaker's second attempt hit the elbow of Strelec, who was standing near the goal-line, and went in, with QPR's appeals for handball rejected by the officials.

Alan Browne and Hackney added second-half goals before Tommy Conway's 88th-minute penalty completed a resounding victory.