Nahki Wells drew the plaudits after his man-of-the-match display helped earn Queens Park Rangers a welcome 2-1 victory over Middlesborough in the Sky Bet Championship at Loftus Road.

QPR went in front when Polish international Pawel Wszolek turned in from close range, the only goal in a first half which the home side dominated.

The visitors levelled shortly after the break when George Saville’s volley from the edge of the box seared past goalkeeper Joe Lumley.

However, with 60 minutes on the clock Bermud striker Wells, who is on loan from Premier League outfit Burnley, tucked in from Wszolek’s cross to score his fifth goal of the season with what proved the deciding factor in the match.

His goal secured QPR a first win in five, as well as condemning Middlesborough to a first league defeat in seven away matches, to move Rangers to within five points of the play-off places.

After the match, QPR manager Steve McClaren highlighted Wells’s impact and his decisive strike, which gave the former England manager a victory to savour against one of his previous clubs.

“It took him a little to settle but he’s now the Nahki Wells everyone knows,” said McClaren to the club’s website about the frontman, who was also unlucky not to double the lead before half-time when he superbly wriggled away from Daniel Ayala before shooting narrowly wide.

“He runs and runs and is scoring goals. He gives us a platform when we release the ball forward and I was delighted with his performance.”

Meanwhile, Reggie Lambe and manager-less League Two strugglers Cambridge United played out a 0-0 draw with relegation rivals Yeovil Town at the Abbey Stadium.

Lambe came close to grabbing the winner shortly after the half-hour mark, but was brilliantly denied by Yeovil goalkeeper Stuart Nelson.

The result leaves both clubs entrenched in the battle against the drop with Cambridge United sitting third from bottom in 22nd position on 20 points from 22 games, three places and two points adrift of Saturday’s opponents.

Elsewhere, Jonté Smith’s Lewes saw their match with Margate in the Isthmian League Premier Division abandoned during play owing to the Dripping Pan pitch being waterlogged because of torrential rain. The match was halted with the score still goalless.

Amar Lewis did not feature as Brightlingsea Regent prevailed in a seven-goal thriller, beating visiting Corinthian-Casuals 4-3 at North Road.