Queens Park Rangers were beaten 3-1 in the west London derby this afternoon at Brentford.

It was their sixth defeat on the bounce - for the second time this season. They were never at the races against the Bees.

Brentford began the opening stages the better and nearly took the lead on 14 minutes when Lasse Vibe struck low but it hit the side-netting.

Rangers hit back with their first opportunity, when a free-kick was nodded on by Matt Smith for Joel Lynch, whose first-time effort brought out a fantastic reflex save from Bees goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.

The hosts continued to enjoy all the possession and patiently forced Ian Holloways's side back, but Rangers should have silenced the home crowd through Conor Washington.

A ball forward was helped on by Jamie Mackie to spot the striker running into the box - he was expected to hit the target - but volleyed wide.

But on the half-hour and the Bees deservedly took the lead when Jota's outswinging corner ended up to Yoann Barbet unmarked, and he volleyed down into the ground and into the roof of the net to beat Smithies.

It was very nearly 2-0 moments later when Jota surging run beat Jake Bidwell and a couple more Rangers players, before shooting just wide of the upright.

The pressure didn't stop there as left-back Rico Henry burst forward on the other side and made Smithies get behind his powerful shot.

Just before the break, Rangers were nearly level when Smith rose above his marker to head towards goal, but Bentley pulled off another save. The ball fell to Washington, who could only screw the rebound wide under pressure.

And in added-on time, Luke Freeman was desperately unlucky when he went for goal from 25 yards but struck the top of the crossbar.

Into the second half and Holloway decided to take off the ineffective Sean Goss and replace him with Kazenga Lua Lua.

Rangers thought they had equalised when a corner was sent into the far post, Washington got up to head towards goal - it looked like it was in - but Barbet headed off the line. Washington was furious.

To make matters worse, Brentford went and doubled their lead from the penalty spot - thanks to Jota - after Lynch had fouled Maxime Colin.

The big defender made slight amends instantly, though, as he pulled Rangers back into the game with a glancing header to beat Bentley from a Freeman free-kick.

Game on, you would have thought. Not quite, as Brentford restored their two-goal advantage through that man again Jota, who cut the ball on to his left foot after a stunning crossfield path, before driving under Smithies.

Smithies pulled off a stunning save from Lassa Vibe to stop it being four to the hosts soon after.

Holloway's men looked lost and out of sorts, but didn't completely give it up, with Smith's header plucked out of the air from Bentley as it aimed for the top corner.

In the first of seven added-on minutes, Smith forced Bentley into a good low save with a header from a corner, before Onuoha fired the follow-up over.

Yeni Ngbakoto also had a deft header collected by Bentley when a free-kick found him unmarked six yards out, before Smith headed over after another majestic jump.

QPR are back at Loftus Road next Saturday when they entertain Nottingham Forest, and they'll be desperate to arrest this form.

Thank goodness they got enough points on the board a couple of months ago or they'd be staring at a relegation battle.

QPR: Smithies, Perch, Onuoha, Lynch, Bidwell, Freeman, Luongo, Goss (Lua Lua 46), Mackie (Sylla 67), Washington (Ngbakoto 68), Smith

Subs Not Used: Ingram, Furlong, Wszolek, Manning.

Referee: James Adcock

Report by Mark Ritson, at Griffin Park, for Get West London