GOALS either side of half-time from Rudy Gestede and Tommy Spurr fired Rovers to a rousing and impressive win over the high-flying Hoops which extended their unbeaten run to seven matches and moved them within four points of the play-off places.

Gestede opened the scoring in the ninth minute when he took a pass from Tom Cairney and blasted an unstoppable 25-yard drive low and hard past Robert Green.

There was little Green could have done to stop the in-form forward from racking up his seventh goal of the season and his third in his last three starts.

But the England international should have done better than let Spurr’s 48th-minute shot, following excellent build-up play between Craig Conway and Lee Williamson, slip through his fingers and into the net.

Rovers, who have now kept 14 clean sheets for the campaign, could have made their second straight victory, following Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Ipswich Town, even more emphatic.

But that did not stop Gary Bowyer from hailing it as one of the best of the season.

The Rovers boss said: “We’ve had some impressive halves and spells in games but for the complete 90 minutes, we were excellent and the players deserve all the credit.

“From start to finish they were right at it and they were a credit to the football club against a tough team.”

See tomorrow’s Lancashire Telegraph for a full match report and pictures.

Rovers: Robinson, Keane, Hanley, Kilgallon, Spurr, Cairney, Lowe, Williamson (Etuhu 85), Conway, Gestede (Varney 77), Rhodes (Dunn 73). Subs not used: Eastwood, King, Taylor, Feeney.

Goals: Gestede 9, Spurr 48.

QPR: Green, Simpson, Dunne, Young, Assou-Ekotto (Yun 77), Hoilett, Henry, Benayoun, Carroll (Maiga 68), Morrison, Keane (Austin 69). Subs not used: Murphy, Zamora, O'Neil, Donaldson.

Booked: Simpson.

Referee: James Adcock.

Attendance: 12,915 (410 away).