Cameron Bragg scored the first Championship goal of his career as Southampton made it 17 home league matches in a row without losing with a 4-1 victory over QPR.

Kuryu Matsuki, Keven Schlotterbeck and Welington also got on the scoresheet as Saints stayed fifth, but kept pace with the rest of the leaders - with the top seven all winning on Saturday.

Southampton had won the last six meetings between the two sides, and despite coming into the game with three wins in four, feared a Rangers side that had demolished Swansea a week before.

Japanese winger Matsuki should have scored in the fifth minute when he fired over the bar when unmarked in the box.

But made up for it six minutes later when he grabbed his third goal in four matches with a neat spinning finish, after an adventurous run from Leo Scienza.

The goal sparked 20 minutes of free-flowing football between two side buoyed by big wins last weekend which should have, but did not add to the scoreline.

QPR started with off-target efforts from Paul Smyth and Kwame Poku - who thrashed into the side netting.

Southampton goalkeeper Daniel Peretz was called into a pair of saves, the first a claw away to deny a looping header, and then with two strong hands to push away Smyth's fierce drive.

The host's responses were equally as threatening with Pierce Charles acrobatically denying Schlotterbeck's header, while Jimmy Dunne's sliding block denied Matsuki a second at point-blank range.

They thought they had gone a step further in first-half stoppage time when Lewis Dobbin had flicked an in-swinging corner past Charles.

But referee Tim Robinson and his assistant referee Rob Smith paused, conferred and decided that Jack Stephens had interfered as the ball flew in while in an offside position.

If anything, the disallowed goal galvanised Southampton in the second half, as Ryan Manning and Scienza were denied, before Bragg bagged the first league goal of his career.

Bragg, who was sent off in the first half of the south coast derby victory earlier in the month, drilled a shot from Manning's cutback, which was finished via a deflection.

Saints now felt in control, and went for the jugular as Scienza and Dobbin forced diving saves out of Pierce.

The QPR keeper could do nothing in the 67th minute to deny Schlotterbeck's powerful unmarked header at the back post to convert Manning's corner.

It felt the points were safe for the home side, but 85 seconds later Richard Kone snuck the ball in off the post from the edge of the box - to backup his hat-trick against Swansea last week - to add some jeopardy into the final 20 minutes.

But after Finn Azaz was thwarted on the line, substitute Welington added a fourth for the hosts with the last last kick off the match.

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The managers

Southampton's Tonda Eckert:

"We had an attack v defence session this week and Bragg he had quite a few finishes from the edge of the box.

"I was quite surprised that he had some great finishes in there so told him that if the chances opened up today then he makes sure he takes it.

"We had some hints that he would do that across the week.

"His game is never going to based on the amount of goals he scores, but it never hurts if you add them to your game.

"I took the responsibility for him getting sent off in the derby because you need much more courage and bravery in his position than other positions. He is showing maturity and credit to him as a young player in his career."

QPR's Julien Stephan:

"The scoreline is the reality for this high level.

"When you have some opportunities, you have to take it. I think we had enough in the first half to score one time and to equalise.

"And this is one of the big differences between the two teams today. It's the ability during the good momentum to create some big changes and to score. We didn't start very well the first 10 minutes.

"I didn't recognise my team during 20-25 minutes. I think it's probably the worst 20 minutes collectively we did since the start of the season.

"We scored one time but at 3-0 down, it is very difficult to come back.

"Southampton are one of the two best teams in the league. Middlesbrough then Southampton. The two best teams.

"I don't want to bet they will be the two to go up but they are two very very good teams."

What the result means and next fixtures...

• Championship fixtures

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