Birmingham City snapped a three-game losing streak to keep their Championship play-off hopes alive with victory over Queens Park Rangers.

Patrick Roberts' early goal proved the difference between two out-of-form sides at St Andrew's, although the margin of victory could and perhaps should have been wider given the hosts' dominance.

QPR, who registered a fourth straight defeat, have now gone four matches without scoring and managed just one shot on target all evening.

The win moved Birmingham up to 10th in the table, five points off the top six, while QPR slipped to 18th.

The hosts enjoyed almost complete dominance in the first half, with Ibrahim Osman at the heart of their good play.

The winger grazed the crossbar with a cross-cum-shot after just two minutes before teeing up Roberts to fire home from close range three minutes later after he nutmegged his opposite number and sent a low cross into the box.

Only some acrobatics from Amadou Mbengue stopped Blues from doubling their lead shortly after when defender Christoph Klarer connected with a free-kick at the far post and hooked the ball towards goal.

R's keeper Joe Walsh had to be alert to deny Osman, Roberts and then Jay Stansfield as the one-way traffic continued, with Ethan Laird also seeing a header come back off the post.

QPR had gone three games without scoring before kick-off and failed to register a single effort on goal until the 71st minute.

Blues continued to dominate after the break and Marvin Ducksch might have done better when Stansfield's cutback found him unmarked on the edge of the box.

Harvey Vale curled wide as QPR finally threatened the Birmingham goal with less than 20 minutes left on the clock.

Substitute Kwame Poku added some life to the visitors' attack and flashed an effort across goal in a rare moment of pressure, but the victory for Chris Davies' side was more comfortable than the scoreline might suggest.

Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:

"I just said to the players the only thing you could say is we could have got more goals - three or four probably.

"We had 21 shots at goal, first half in particular there was a lot there for us. Even towards the end there were some big chances.

"We should have probably scored more than just one goal.

"I was really pleased with how we played. We have had a few punches in the face in recent weeks and we had to show a certain amount of character tonight.

"I really liked how they did, we had a real intent to our attacking play, our defending was aggressive. [It was] a very pleasing night."