Ilias Chair's first-half goal was enough to earn QPR a 1-0 victory at home to Wycombe.
It was an unhappy return to Loftus Road for Gareth Ainsworth, where the Wycombe boss was a fans' favourite during seven years as a player and also two spells as caretaker manager.
Ainsworth's side remain bottom of the Sky Bet Championship, having suffered four consecutive defeats and scored just one goal in their last six matches.
QPR, on the other hand, have been enjoying a fine second half to the season and are still in with an outside chance of a play-off place.
This win was their sixth in nine matches and lifted them into the top half of the table, while the clean sheet was their third in five games.
Chris Willock was the architect of their 23rd-minute winner, superbly evading two challenges on the right and then shooting past goalkeeper David Stockdale at the near post for Chair to add the finishing touch from virtually on the goal-line.
Rangers had been on top, with Stefan Johansen just unable to get to Lee Wallace's left-wing cross and shortly afterwards bringing a save from Stockdale with a left-footed strike.
The visitors responded well to going behind and enjoyed a decent spell of pressure in which Anis Mehmeti's shot was pushed away by Rangers goalkeeper Seny Dieng.
But that was a rare attack by the Chairboys, who were on the back foot again after the interval.
Charlie Austin fired over as QPR continued to dominate, and Chair shot against the outside of the near post after being set up by Rob Dickie.
QPR hit a post again when Willock steered his shot against the woodwork after a pull back from the left by Wallace, who was found by Johansen's clever pass.
And Dickie headed wide from a cross by fellow centre-back Yoann Barbet as the hosts searched in vain for a second goal.
Lyndon Dykes, on as a substitute for Austin, also had a chance but sliced a shot wide from inside the penalty area.
The Scotland striker has scored just once from open play since his summer move from Livingston.
Another goal would have made things much more comfortable for the R's, who had to deal with a series of high balls into their box in the final few minutes.
What the managers said...
QPR's Mark Warburton: "We closed it out but we've got to be more ruthless and more clinical. We got the goal and played some good football, but we've got to be more clinical in that final third.
"The second goal would have changed the dynamic of the game so much. But having not got the second goal, we stood up and got another clean sheet."
Wycombe's Gareth Ainsworth: "I think the moments of quality and that next level of player are just showing now. But again I'm really proud of the boys. We're learning so much at this level. We want to return to this level or stay there - either way I think these lessons are valuable. We're in every game, we're fighting hard and I couldn't be prouder of the boys. They've been fantastic this year.
"Wycombe Wanderers the club is a million miles away from where it was seven or eight years ago and I'm proud to say we're competing at a level we always dreamed of competing at. I think we need to win eight out of the last 11 games (to stay up) and that's probably a win percentage that would be new to me. That sounds like about 80% and I think I've averaged around 40% - and this season it's been about 10%. So it's definitely going to be very tough. I'm a realist."