Ex-QPR striker Nahki Wells has sent a message to current R's forward Jordan Hugill after he found the net against Stoke City on Saturday.

Mark Warburton's side came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 against the Potters, in what looks an important win for the Hoops.

QPR had failed to win in their last four games and had not scored since Wells left the club in late January.

They ended both those runs on Saturday and are now 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

Ahead of the game, Hugill had scored just one league goal since November but he scored QPR's opener against Stoke, which seemed to open the floodgates.

The West London side have been free-scoring this season, finding the net 51 times in the Championship, but lost one of their key men in the final third at the end of January when Wells, who had scored 13 goals in 26 league appearances, was recalled by Burnley and sold to Bristol City.

That appeared to destabilise them as they failed to find the net in the three games following his exit.

Hugill helped put an end to that run in style on Saturday and got back in the goals himself.

His performance was praised on

/B8qk4UYl2Yn/">the club's official Instagram earlier today.

It appears Wells and Hugill still have a close relationship despite the 29-year-old's recent exit, as the former was quick to send a message of encouragement.

He commented on the post:

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The Verdict

It was a huge blow for QPR to lose Wells and their wobble following his exit of proof of his importance to their side in the final third.

It never seemed as if he was that keen to leave the club, so in many ways, it is not a surprise to see him keeping a close eye on the R's updates and Hugill's performances.

The win against Stoke was an important one for Warburton's side, helping them to put an end to their downward spiral of form and putting some real distance between them and the relegation zone.

With an 11 point gap over the drop zone, they're sitting in a strong position to avoid the relegation battle.