QPR striker Charlie Austin was denied a 50th QPR goal by Derby keeper Kelle Roos's fine first half save
Derby County top scorer Colin Kazim-Richards struck to earn victory over Queens Park Rangers and secure a second consecutive win under new boss Wayne Rooney.
Kazim-Richards followed up to tap in his fourth goal of the season after a swift second-half counter-attack to take the Rams five points clear of the Championship relegation zone.
QPR, who have now not scored in four home league games and stay 17th, rarely threatened to level with their best chance seeing Yoann Barbet's acrobatic overhead kick superbly saved by keeper Kelle Roos.
The Rams remain 21st in the Championship, but are level on points and goal difference with fierce rivals Nottingham Forest and have moved five points clear of third-from-bottom Rotherham United - albeit having played three games more than the Millers.
- Relive Saturday's EFL action
The visitors' sixth league win of a miserable season to date provides a welcome boost while delays and uncertainty continue to surround a proposed takeover.
Kazim-Richards' timely winner means he now has a quarter of Derby's 16 Championship goals this season and deservedly rewarded a disciplined Rams performance.
The striker should have opened the scoring in a dour first half when he completely missed the ball from six yards from Nathan Byrne's right-wing cross.
QPR, who were seeking a third successive win, twice came close through Charlie Austin, who headed narrowly wide from Todd Kane's cross to the back post and then saw a first-time strike superbly pushed away by Roos - the only effort on target in a cautious first half.
Kazim-Richards was on hand to put Derby ahead 11 minutes after the break when Rangers keeper Seny Dieng could only parry Kamil Jozwiak's low shot.
QPR saw plenty of the ball thereafter but, aside from the Roos save from Barbet and some lively penalty appeals for a handball by Kazim-Richards, they lacked a threat and Derby saw out victory with little fuss.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
QPR
Formation 3-5-2
13Dieng
4Dickie20Cameron6Barbet
2Kane12Ball10Chair21Willock25Hämäläinen
9Dykes45Austin
13Dieng
4Dickie
20CameronBooked at 31mins
6Barbet
2KaneBooked at 51mins
12Ball
10Chair
21WillockSubstituted forBettacheat 65'minutes
25HämäläinenSubstituted forAdomahat 82'minutes
9DykesSubstituted forBonneat 73'minutes
45AustinSubstituted forKelmanat 82'minutes
Substitutes
1Lumley
7Bonne
19Thomas
24Kakay
26Bettache
29Kelman
37Adomah
41Duke-McKenna
Derby
Formation 3-4-3
21Roos
22Evans2Wisdom16Clarke
12Byrne5Bielik4Shinnie26Buchanan
7Jozwiak13Kazim-Richards38Knight
21Roos
22EvansSubstituted forBirdat 45'minutes
2Wisdom
16Clarke
12Byrne
5Bielik
4ShinnieBooked at 77mins
26Buchanan
7JozwiakSubstituted forMacDonaldat 86'minutes
13Kazim-RichardsSubstituted forWaghornat 79'minutes
38Knight
Substitutes
3Forsyth
8Bird
9Waghorn
17Sibley
18Whittaker
37MacDonald
40Watson
42Mitchell-Lawson
44Foster
Referee: Tim Robinson
Match Stats
Home TeamQPRAway TeamDerby
Possession
Home57%
Away43%
Shots
Home12
Away6
Shots on Target
Home2
Away2
Corners
Home8
Away5
Fouls
Home15
Away11
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 0, Derby County 1.
90'+4'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 0, Derby County 1.
90'+4'
Post update
Foul by Yoann Barbet (Queens Park Rangers).
90'+4'
Post update
Martyn Waghorn (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'
Substitution
Substitution, Derby County. Kornell MacDonald replaces Kamil Jozwiak.
84'
Post update
Geoff Cameron (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'
Post update
Foul by Martyn Waghorn (Derby County).
84'
Post update
Attempt blocked. Charlie Kelman (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
82'
Post update
Geoff Cameron (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
82'
Post update
Foul by Matthew Clarke (Derby County).
82'
Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Charlie Kelman replaces Charlie Austin.
82'
Substitution
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Albert Adomah replaces Niko Hämäläinen.
81'
Post update
Foul by Macauley Bonne (Queens Park Rangers).
81'
Post update
Jason Knight (Derby County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
81'
Post update
Offside, Derby County. Nathan Byrne tries a through ball, but Martyn Waghorn is caught offside.
80'
Post update
Foul by Dominic Ball (Queens Park Rangers).
80'
Post update
Jason Knight (Derby County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
79'
Substitution
Substitution, Derby County. Martyn Waghorn replaces Colin Kazim-Richards.
78'
Post update
Foul by Faysal Bettache (Queens Park Rangers).
78'
Post update
Jason Knight (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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