Championship: QPR 2 Coventry 1

Queens Park Rangers extended their lead at the top of the Championship to five points after a coming from behind to beat Coventry 2-1 on Sunday.

Moroccan international Adel Taarabt was the star for the league leaders, scoring a superb solo goal to cancel out Marlon King’s opener for Coventry before setting up Wayne Routledge for the winner in the second half.

Coventry took the lead on the 25 minute mark when striker King found himself on the end of a low Gary McSheffrey cross to slot past a helpless Patrick Kenny in the QPR goal.

The hosts had to wait until first-half injury time before getting back on level terms thanks to a sublime piece of skill from 21-year-old Taarabt.

The Moroccan midfielder collected the ball outside the box and used some nice close control and a blistering turn of pace to take him through two Coventry defenders before curling a beautiful shot past an outstretched goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

With both sides having chances to take the three points down the stretch, it was QPR who scored the winner with 11 minutes to play.

Routledge, who was playing his first game for QPR since returning from Newcastle on loan, timed his run to perfection and was picked out by a sublime long-range pass from Taarabt.

Then with only Westwood to beat the midfielder controlled the ball expertly with his right foot before slotting a low shot past the goalkeeper with his left to wrap up all three points for his side.

The win gives QPR some valuable breathing space ahead of Cardiff, Norwich and Swansea, who are all five points behind on the table, ahead of their trip to Hull on Saturday.

Coventry are in 13th place and play host to Nottingham Forest on February 1.