A late Dom Ball thunderbolt gave QPR their first league win since the opening day on Saturday afternoon, as they edged out Cardiff City 3-2 at the Kiyan Prince Foundation stadium.

The main headlines from the team news ahead of this one saw Bright Osayi-Samuel back in the QPR side after being left out against Barnsley, a sign perhaps that contract negotiations are going the right way for the Hoops.

Neil Harris, meanwhile, made one change from the 1-1 draw with Derby County, opting to bring in winger Josh Murphy.

QPR, donned in a limited edition third kit this afternoon, set about their blue-clad visitors with plenty of zeal from the get-go, quickly setting the tone for the first-half.

Even in their run without a goal, they have had dominant periods but, to the frustration of Mark Warburton, they had not been able to take advantage.

That, though, changed in the first period with both Chair and Kane finishing in stylish fashion.

The R’s first chance came in the opening minutes. Good running into the right channel from Lyndon Dykes allowed him to play a reverse pass inside for the advancing Albert Adomah. The winger, only at Cardiff at the end of last season, closed in on goal but his effort, coming off the outside of his right foot, was smartly pushed over by Bluebirds stopper Alex Smithies.

A good opening, then, and fears QPR would not go on and score were soon allayed as Ilias Chair broke the deadlock.

Tom Carroll played a lovely sliding pass in for Adomah down the right-hand side of the box. With composure, the winger stood the ball up at the far post and there was Chair to hit home with a bicycle kick.

The young no.10 was looking up for it and would turn provider to double the Hoops’ lead not too long after.

Cheekily flicking the ball over his marker near the byline on the left-hand side of the box, Chair prodded through for right-back Todd Kane and the no.2 would finish smartly, hitting his half-volley into the roof of the net.

There’d be a late Chair chance to make it three before the break for the home side, meanwhile, but his swivel and shot in the box narrowly flashed wide after good work down the left from Osayi-Samuel.

A bit of a let off for Cardiff, then, who were poor in the first-half – they offered very little going forwards - and, evidently, Neil Harris had got them going during the break as they quickly got a goal back.

Joe Ralls would coolly roll home a penalty five minutes after the interval after Yoann Barbet had fouled Kieffer Moore who was bearing down on goal - the yellow-booted Frenchman would receive a card of the same colour for his troubles.

A boost for Cardiff, then, but an immediate Bluebirds surge afterwards there was not. In truth, the following 30 minutes passed with little of note to write home about.

Albert Adomah would try a cute backheel flick but never really got hold of it, whilst both Sheyi Ojo and Junior Hoilett did the opposite – leathering the ball with good connections but sending their efforts well off target for the away side.

The second half was certainly more even, though, with Cardiff awakening after a sluggish first-half and eventually, they’d equalise.

A handball against Conor Masterson was given from Kieffer Moore’s headed knockdown and Joe Ralls was tasked with drawing his side level.

This time, his spot-kick was saved by Seny Dieng but the midfielder was quickest to the rebound, firing home to square things up with five to go.

Another frustrating afternoon for QPR, then? Not to be. In all honesty, the R’s had been a shadow of themselves in the second half compared to the first but, into injury time, Dom Ball managed to swing things back in their favour with a rocket left-foot finish.

Sitting up nicely, the midfielder with little else on in front of him struck the ball cleanly and true, flashing it home and sending the home dugout into rapture.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game of football and that’s exactly what happened here in W12. Great in the first-half, tense in the second, a vital win for QPR and for Cardiff, after doing so well to get back into it, a feeling of despair to take back west to Wales.