QPR continued their impressive early-season form with a thumping 4-1 win at home to struggling Derby County.

Three of the goals came in the first half, with Alfie Lloyd scoring, Nicolas Madsen tucking away a penalty, and Harvey Vale adding the third.

Paul Smyth made it four with a deflected effort midway through the second half and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen scored a consolation goal for Derby in the final seconds.

Rangers' victory, marred only by Amadou Mbengue being stretchered off late on, leaves them fifth in the Championship table - they would have gone fourth had they not conceded the late goal - while John Eustace's side are one off the bottom and now without a win in six matches.

Derby, with their defensive options already limited by injuries, lost centre-back Sondre Langas after just 12 minutes.

Langas' block prevented Rayan Kolli from scoring after good work by Smyth, but the Norwegian was hurt in the process and had to be taken off.

Within 10 minutes the Rams were two down and on their way to another defeat.

Boy Kemper set up Rangers' 18th-minute opener, going past Mohammed Fuseini on the left and cleverly back-heeling the ball towards Lloyd, who fired into the far corner.

Madsen doubled the lead four minutes later with a coolly taken penalty after Dion Sanderson was adjudged to have fouled Smyth.

Then in the final minute of normal time at the end of the first half, Vale made it three.

The visiting defence closed down Lloyd near the edge of the penalty area as he collected Kolli's flick, but with a group of Derby players close by, Vale pinched the ball and sent a right-footed shot past keeper Josh Vickers.

Rangers continued to dominate after the interval and Smyth should have added a fourth when he headed Kemper's cross over the bar.

But Smyth got on the scoresheet on 68 minutes when his strike took a heavy deflection off Joe Ward.

Matt Clarke was then denied by keeper Pierce Charles, but that was a rare threat from woeful Derby, who were totally outplayed.

Substitute Kwame Poku almost added a fifth for Rangers when he was set up by a superb pass from Ronnie Edwards, but he dragged his shot wide.

Defender Mbengue, also on as a substitute for the hosts, suffered a worrying-looking knee injury when he went down awkwardly.

It meant QPR had to play the final few minutes with 10 men as they had already made all their permitted changes.

In the final throes Salvesen poked in the loose ball after Ronnie Edwards' tackle had thwarted Ryan Hedges.