Substitute Adama Diomande's injury-time goal gave Hull City a 2-1 Championship victory over struggling QPR at Loftus Road.
Rangers, still without injured top scorer Charlie Austin and still without a win under manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, seemed to have rescued a point when Sebastian Polter headed in an 86th-minute equaliser to cancel out Abel Hernandez's opener.
However, a mix-up between Rangers defender Grant Hall and goalkeeper Rob Green helped prove the difference, as the pair collided in attempting to clear Sam Lucas' cross and the ball rebounded off Diomande and into the net.
Beaten Rangers find themselves 15th in the Championship table six matches into Hasselbaink's reign, while Hull moved into third place, this after Brighton were beaten by Wolves earlier on Friday evening.
In a game low on quality, Polter had a decent chance and Alejandro Faurlin went close for them during a turgid first half.
After Hull's Jake Livermore had given the ball away, striker Polter hesitated and his shot was blocked by Harry Maguire.
Polter was given a starting place by Hasselbaink along with Tjaronn Chery, who sent an early effort over the bar.
Alejandro Faurlin had a firm strike tipped over by Allan McGregor, and at the other end Mo Diame and Ahmed Elmohamady steered shots wide of the target.
QPR struggled to create chances but did go close to taking the lead three minutes before half-time, when Chery's corner was nudged over the bar by Faurlin from close range.
Rangers, whose reliance on Austin was underlined once again, were just as uninspiring after the interval and Hernandez put Hull ahead with a sublime finish on 61 minutes.
Diame found space on the left and picked out the Uruguayan striker, who steered a calm first-time shot beyond Green for his 10th league goal of the season.
The best Rangers could muster was Paul Konchesky's left-footed shot into the side-netting, before the 78th-minute introduction of Jamie Mackie at least raised the home fans' spirits.
Mackie, back in action after more than three months out with a hamstring injury, gave them some much needed impetus up front.
German striker Polter had struggled to make an impact up front before netting his second goal in as many matches to haul the hosts level.
Matt Phillips delivered a perfect cross from the left and McGregor got a hand to Polter's header but could not keep it out of the net.
The game looked to be heading towards a draw before Lucas' cross from the left wing caused trouble for the QPR defence, with Diomande the happy recipient of an unexpected rebound.
Wolves clinched their third consecutive victory as a first-half own goal by Connor Goldson gifted them a 1-0 win over faltering Brighton.
The Seagulls, who have only taken one point over the festive season, dominated after the break, but Wolves defended stoutly to claim a third successive clean sheet.
Brighton went into the clash having failed to score for over five hours and boss Chris Hughton freshened up his front line by recalling strikers Bobby Zamora and James Wilson.
Israeli international Tomer Hemed dropped to the bench and the on-loan Rajiv van La Parra was ineligible to face parent club Wolves.
Beram Kayal put an early shot wide for the Seagulls before Albion goalkeeper David Stockdale saved a goal-bound shot from Benik Afobe with his legs following a powerful run by James Henry.
Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme came to his side's rescue by tipping a fierce shot from Wilson over the bar in the 15th minute.
Wanderers, unchanged for the third match in a row, threatened when Dominic Iorfa set up Afobe, but his angled shot was held comfortably by Stockdale.
Brighton had failed to keep a clean sheet at the Amex since October and their defensive frailties surfaced again when defender Goldson gifted Wolves the lead with a 32nd-minute own goal.
Wolverhampton-born Goldson, 23, standing in for the injured Gordon Greer for the second time, stuck out a leg to divert a low cross from Jordan Graham into his own net at the near post.
Wolves threatened again when Stockdale parried a low drive from Henry.
At the other end Wilson -- the striker on loan from Manchester United who was physically sick on the pitch during the first half -- ran dangerously into the area shortly after the break, but his low shot was saved by Ikeme.
Central defender Lewis Dunk should have equalised moments later, but wastefully drove over from a pass by Goldson.
Jamie Murphy also failed to make the most of an opening when he blazed over having been set up by Wilson.
Wilson forced Ikeme to save smartly from his goal-bound shot after Hughton made his first change by introducing former Feyenoord striker Elvis Manu for the veteran Zamora.
Wolves almost doubled their advantage when a rasping drive by Conor Coady was tipped over by Stockdale.
Brighton piled on the pressure in the closing stages and defender Bruno Saltor was unlucky when his tremendous 20-yard drive came back off the crossbar.
Dunk later had a goal-bound header brilliantly tipped over by Ikeme in stoppage time.