QPR manager Michael Beale has spoken of the game plan to engineer victory over Bristol City on Saturday that included deliberately allowing the Robins to play down their flanks.
The hosts were the better team in the opening 15 minutes and were denied the lead when Seny Dieng saved Zak Vyner's header from Kal Naismith's free-kick. Moments later, City were behind when Stefan Johansen fired in from close range after Dan Bentley tipped Chris Willock's strike onto the post.
Three minutes after that and Nigel Pearson's side had a mountain to climb. Tyler Roberts was left unmarked at the back post to fire in Kenneth Paal's cross after Mark Sykes was caught out with the overlap.
City's attack has rightfully earned plenty of praise this season but their qualities were stifled by a resolute QPR defence who looked relatively comfortable despite Nahki Wells' close-range finish on the hour. Beale knew keeping them quiet would be key to victory and he went into detail regarding his thinking about how he ensured the defence would come out on top.
"I'm really respectful of Nigel's front guys, Weimann, Conway, Semenyo coming on and Nahki who we know well. We didn't want to give them any space and I thought we did that," he said.
"I thought they played down the sides of us but never played in front of us which was part of the game plan. We obviously wanted to get our front three to have a bigger game than theirs and I think over the game that's what edged it for us.
"Every week we play against teams with a back three and our system is a little bit unique so teams try different things against us. We're one of the few teams who don't play three at the back at the moment and teams think they can just go around the outsides.
"So teams attack us down the outside and we attack them down the sides as well. It's the great part of the game. Early on in the game, we wanted both of our wing-backs to go really high and push Sykes and Dasilva back.
"Dasilva's a boy I know really well. He's an academy boy I signed at Chelsea and I didn't want Dasilva anywhere near the final third because of his crossing. I tried to get Ethan (Laird) to take him back but then we were having problems playing in terms of our angles so we reversed it.
"They're the things that go on and that's mine and Nigel's jobs as the football nerds without trying to baffle anyone. It was a good game.
"Every game there were different problems to solve and I thought they are really mobile in the final third and I wanted to play my two most mobile centre halves against them to defend man for man. I also wanted the balance to play out the back because I felt there would be room to play on the back of their midfield."
Beale also revealed the slight tactical switch he made after the first 15 minutes regarding his central midfielders that allowed them to gain control of the match and exploit the space behind.
He added: "We tried to push with Stefan (Johansen) and Tim (Iroegbunham) but we just changed it. We went back to our normal and tried to draw them on and use that space and if they go and score the first goal it's a completely different game.
"Thankfully Sieng makes the save and we go up the other end and get a bit of good fortune."
Pearson is expected to make changes on Tuesday for the visit of Coventry that could see Mark Sykes come out at right wing-back for either Kane Wilson or George Tanner - both seeking their first league starts. Alex Scott is suspended while Matty James remains sidelined with a groin injury.
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