QPR boss Neil Warnock remembered what happened the last time he was forced to play 10 men against Reading - his Crystal Palace side lost.
But having gone into a defensive shell back then when he was in charge of the Eagles, the Rangers manager (pictured) was determined history was not going to repeat itself this time.
After Bradley Orr was sent to warm up the showers following a rash tackle on Hal Robson-Kanu, Warnock kept strikers Rob Hulse and Jamie Mackie on the pitch - and then watched his 10 men run rampant in the second-half to score twice and win 3-1.
He said: "You think you should try and hold things up after a man is sent off. But I didn't want to go negative - and if truth be told we let them off the hook a bit with the chances we missed.
"The fans are going home knowing we were the better side, and it will take a sleeping tablet before I can come down from this high. I was very proud of the way we played in the second-half."
Royals boss Brian McDermott admitted Rangers along with Cardiff are favourites for promotion, but will be glad he only has to to meet livewire Adel Taarabt once more in the league this season.
McDermott said: "Taarabt was the difference between the two sides. He's a talented lad - and QPR are not going to lose too many games."
The Moroccan chipped a sublime penalty and made the third for Tommy Smith from a fine curling free-kick to bring further joy to his manager.
Warnock added: "Some of Adel's free-kicks in the past have knocked birds off the top of the stand. But he's been working on them, and I never thought he would be a Neil Warnock player. It ony goes to show."
