Millar double sends Blues past QPR and into the promotion race

Birmingham City announced themselves as promotion contenders with a 3-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at St Andrew's, four days after putting four past Preston.

Liam Millar scored twice and Demarai Gray added a stoppage-time third, ending QPR's unbeaten away record and keeping Blues unbeaten at home.

A counter-attack opener

QPR almost scored inside five minutes, when a flicked-on long throw skimmed off Boy Kemper and wide. Blues felt they should have had a penalty when August Priske's shot struck the raised arm of Ronnie Edwards, but referee Thomas Kirk waved play on.

The opener midway through the first half came from a swift break. Jay Stansfield harried Rayan Kolli into a loose touch in the centre circle, Tomoki Iwata pounced, and his pass sent Millar clear to score for the third home game running.

Kolli had QPR's only effort on target before the break, straight at James Beadle, and Beadle also saved his left-foot shot early in the second half.

Iwata the driving force

In the 49th minute Iwata dispossessed Glen Kamara, exchanged passes with Patrick Roberts and set up Millar to finish first time across the goalkeeper. Beadle then made his best save, tipping a low shot from Edwards around the post.

Millar could have had a hat-trick but volleyed straight at the keeper. Gray, who replaced him, wrapped it up in stoppage time, finding the roof of the net from Luis Vazquez's cut-back after Stansfield had slipped Vazquez through.

The ratings

Birmingham Live handed out three nines, for Iwata, captain Christoph Klarer and Millar. Iwata, who Davies revealed this week might not stay beyond the end of the season, set up two goals and is playing the best football of his time at the club. Millar now has seven goal contributions in seven games, already beating his total for the whole of last season at Hull City.

Fourth and flying

The win, Blues' fifth in 11 games, keeps them fourth and among four teams on 20 points or more. Davies had said before the game that QPR would be one of the better sides Blues had faced, and his team dealt with them comfortably.

Blues have now kept three clean sheets in a row. The defence, with Klarer and Phil Neumann at centre-back and Bright Osayi-Samuel and Alex Cochrane at full-back, has looked increasingly hard to break down.

"Everything suggests this Blues team can last the course this season," was Birmingham Live's verdict.

Elsewhere in the Championship, results will be studied closely at St Andrew's, but Davies has made clear his focus is simply on the next game, with the target of staying in the top four.