QPR 0 Sheffield Wednesday 3 - Josh Windass proves his worth to Owls

The 26-year-old netted his third goal for the Owls, since arriving on loan from Wigan Athletic in January, but in truth he could have bagged a double hat-trick.

The visitors created numerous chances at Loftus Road, and should have had more than Dominic Iorfa’s early goal on the board before Windass made it 2-0 at the break.

Substitute Jacob Murphy added a deserved third goal on 77 minutes, to give Wednesday a 10-point buffer over the bottom three, with just three games remaining.

Only a points deduction, if found guilty of EFL charges over the sale of Hillsborough, can now relegate Garry Monk’s team.

The Owls made four changes as they looked to end a run of three successive defeats.

In came Tom Lees, Moses Odubajo, Josh Windass and Alex Hunt, the latter making his first start for Wednesday.

The visitors dominated the opening 45 minutes and the only surprise at half-time was Wednesday had only scored just twice.

Alessio Da Cruz won a free-kick, after just four minutes, but they needed three bites of the cherry to get the ball in the back of the net.

Windass saw his free-kick parried out by Joe Lumley, Massimo Luongo smashed the rebound against the post, before - third time lucky - Iorfa picked his spot to place the ball into the net.

Windass and Da Cruz formed an impressive partnership up front, but as chance after chance went begging, the Owls needed a second goal.

Wing-backs Kadeem Harris and Odubajo gave balance to the team, employed as wing-backs, and the visitors were happy to play on the counter-attack.

On loan from Wigan Athletic, Windass could have bagged a first-half hat-trick, with Osman Kakay producing a stunning late block to prevent a certain goal.

Captain Lees - back in defence after injury - headed over another glorious chance.

The Owls were punished for missed chances in defeats to Preston and Swansea, so were desperate for a second goal.

And it came in first-half stoppage-time, Windass heading in from six inches from Da Cruz’s corner.

It was the 26-year-old forward’s third goal in a Wednesday shirt since moving from Wigan.

How he failed to add to that tally in the second half, Windass will have been scratching his head as he travelled north back up the M1.

First, he broke clear on 60 minutes but blazed over the crossbar with only Lumley to beat.

Ninety seconds later, Windass - as he had done all afternoon, finding space behind the Rangers defence - raced away, but as he attempted to round the goalkeeper, Lumley got a vital touch and the Owls forward slipped as he tried to change direction.

But it had been an impressive afternoon for Windass, a player who Monk will presumably be keen to keep on a permanent deal in the summer.

Rangers looked like a team with nothing to play for - sat in mid-table with relegation and promotion long forgotten - but they had their first effort on target on 76 minutes, but Aramide Oteh failed to trouble Joe Wildsmith.

Substitute Jacob Murphy completed an excellent afternoon’s work for the Owls, curling in from 18 yards after scampering clear from Bannan’s pass.