QPR waltzed by Southampton 4-1 in front of the Sunday TV cameras – but despite losing a man early on the Saints made a game of it for three-quarters of the match.

Latecomers missed Dexter Blackstock’s opener for Rangers against his old club after 35 seconds.

But the pivotal moment came on the half-hour mark when Oliver Lancashire’s reckless tackle on Damien Delaney was deemed red rather than yellow, which was contrary to everyone else’s view in the 13,770 crowd – including Rangers’ boss Iain Dowie.

Damion Stewart put Rangers back in front after 10-man Southampton had levelled against the odds. And the superior manpower left Saints without a prayer as Blackstock again, and Patrick Agyemang plundered late on.