Lyndon Dykes at the double as QPR thrash strugglers Reading

QPR thrashed Reading 4-0 to boost their promotion hopes and pile more pressure on Royals boss Veljko Paunovic.

Lyndon Dykes scored twice and there were also goals for Luke Amos and Jimmy Dunne as fourth-placed Rangers made it five wins and a draw from their past six matches.

The victory left the west London side just two points behind second-placed Blackburn with a game in hand.

Reading, however, are struggling near the relegation zone and have now gone nine games without a win.

Their defensive shortcomings were evident again – Paunovic’s team have conceded 55 goals in 28 matches – and the travelling fans angrily chanted for the Serbian to go as the threat of relegation to League One looms.

Rangers went ahead in the 13th minute, somewhat against the run of play.

Amos shrugged off Josh Laurent and delivered a perfect cross from the right for an unchallenged Dykes to head home from the edge of the six-yard box.

The goal came shortly after former QPR youngster Laurent appealed in vain for a penalty after going down under a challenge from Dunne.

Reading had started well, with George Puscas shooting wide early on and R’s keeper David Marshall producing a fine save to push away Lucas Joao’s header from John Swift’s right-wing free-kick.

But Rangers took total control of the game after Dykes’ opener and Amos hit the post with a 25-yard strike before two goals in as many minutes sent the hosts in at half-time three up.

They doubled their lead when Dykes’ header from Albert Adomah’s 35th-minute cross ricocheted into the net off the head of luckless Reading defender Tom Holmes.

Worse followed for the beleaguered visitors when Amos started and finished a QPR counter-attack, galloping almost the length of the pitch to make it three.