QPR made it three Championship wins in a row with a 1-0 victory at bottom side Plymouth as Argyle’s winless league run stretched to 13 games.
Substitute Rayan Kolli scored the 65th-minute winner for Marti Cifuentes’ side.
Argyle started strongly and utilised pacy Polish defender Tymo Puchascz down the left.
Jonathan Varane was booked in the opening minute for a foul on Puchascz as he sped down the wing and in the fifth minute a first-time cross from Puchascz was cleverly flicked goalwards by Rami Al Hajj – forcing Rangers keeper Paul Nardi into action.
Sam Field went closest for QPR early on, meeting Paul Smyth’s cross from the right just past the near post on 13 minutes.
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QPR took advantage of a defensive error, as 19-year-old Rayan Kolli scored against Plymouth.
Hoops defender Ronnie Edwards did well to clear a low Bali Mumba cross away for a corner after being set up by a defence-splitting pass by midfielder Adam Randell.
Plymouth goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw made a superb 26th-minute double save, punching a dangerous cross clear and then somehow keeping out Kenneth Paal’s volleyed follow-up despite the fact he was still on the floor.
Edwards headed just wide from the 27th-minute corner after it had been headed back across the face of goal to the far post.
Smyth carved open the Argyle defence on a solo run in the 41st minute before his shot was deflected by Bali Mumba straight into the path of QPR target man Michael Frey, whose shot from six yards was brilliantly saved by Grimshaw.
That save was surpassed by another stop, with his arm, when Grimshaw denied Frey after he was put in on goal by Jimmy Dunne in the 49th minute.
Substitute Kolli should have done better when put clear down the left but his shot was deflected wide for a corner, which Grimshaw punched clear to safety.
Kolli immediately made amends with a superb finish in the corner to make it 1-0 on 65 minutes after Grimshaw initially saved Ilias Chair’s shot on the run after Mumba failed to control a high ball, instead putting the QPR playmaker in on goal.
Argyle sub Callum Wright tried his luck with a curling shot from the left, which beat Paul Nardi in the Rangers goal but flew just over from 20 yards.
Michael Baidoo, Argyle’s new record signing, kept finding spaces and sent over a deft cross on 72 minutes to no avail.
New Plymouth boss Miron Muslic sent on Mustapha Bundu to replaced fit-again, recalled Scottish striker Ryan Hardie on 74 minutes.
Dunne made a superb off-the-line headed clearance to deny Morgan Whittaker as he curled the ball in from right on 84 minutes, with Bundu ready to pounce.
Field sent a thumping shot just wide in stoppage time but Kolli’s strike was enough to give the visitors all three points.
The managers
Plymouth’s Miron Muslic:
“I am very disappointed because we simply lacked the desire to win duels first. That’s a basic.
“We have had some injury problems over the last couple of days. We also had to adapt the system because we cannot play with a back three if you only have two centre backs.
“But I don’t think this was the problem, we just lacked the physicality. The difference between our physicality and physicality of QPR was immense in everything.”
QPR’s Marti Cifuentes:
“I am very happy, not only for the result but the fact it is not easy to come here and get three points as Plymouth’s home form has been stable.
“The way we performed, we created enough chances to not suffer. It was a very strong performance from a collective point of view and some really good individual performances as well.
“We know taking chances is the difference between being high and low in the table but the reality is that we had five or six clear chances. Their keeper made some brilliant saves.
“I am very pleased with all the players from the bench. The squad rotation is important and everyone is ready to contribute.”
