First-half goals from Stefan Johansen and Tyler Roberts proved enough for QPR to record a 2-1 Sky Bet Championship victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Johansen fired the visitors in front on 19 minutes, latching onto the rebound after Dan Bentley had tipped a Chris Willock shot onto a post.

Three minutes later, Kenneth Paal broke away down the left and supplied the cross for Roberts to double the advantage with a far post volley.

Former Rangers striker Nahki Wells pulled a goal back for City on 61 minutes, slotting home from close range after Rangers made a hash of clearing Andreas Weimann’s low cross from the right.

The home side threw extra men forward in search of an equaliser, but Rangers defended strongly to take three deserved points.

City started well, with Alex Scott shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the box in the eighth minute.

Goalkeeper Seny Dieng kept Rangers on terms by palming Zak Vyner’s 14th minute header from a Kal Naismith free-kick onto a post.

But soon it was the Rangers front three of Roberts, Willock and Ilias Chair causing major problems for a fragile City back-three.

Chair beat a poorly executed offside trap to get in behind Kal Naismith and fire a powerful shot, which Bentley beat away.

The warning went unheeded as Willock broke through three minutes later to set up Johansen’s goal. And it was no surprise when shortly after that Roberts made it 2-0.

Rangers were looking penetrating with every attack. Chair shot over from inside the box in the 32nd minute and fired inches wide seconds later.

City had a great chance to pull a goal back in the 43rd minute but Tommy Conway elected to shoot with Wells unmarked to his right and the effort was blocked.

Home boss Nigel Pearson responded to a poor first-half performance by sending Antoine Semenyo for Conway at the start of the second period.

City again started brightly only for individual errors to put them under pressure.

Joe Williams was booked for a foul after being caught in possession and a similar mistake by Vyner led to Bentley tipping a Chair shot onto the crossbar.

Wells’ goal lifted City fans, who had booed their team off at the interval, but Rangers defended in numbers and always looked dangerous on the break.

Both managers made liberal use of their substitutes before Wells had a shot deflected over with 13 minutes remaining, then headed the resulting corner wide.

Home fans were incensed when Wells then caught Dieng in possession but the goalkeeper somehow recovered to grab the ball just inside his penalty area.

Rangers had chances to make the game safe in the closing stages, substitute Andre Dozzell shooting wide from the best of them.