Heidar Helguson was in deadly form as Queens Park Rangers enjoyed a 3-0 win at Blackpool.
Sousa's men push for play-offs
Heidar Helguson was in deadly form as Queens Park Rangers enjoyed a 3-0 win at Blackpool.
Icelandic striker Helguson grabbed a goal in each half at Bloomfield Road to boost QPR's push for the play-offs.
And Hogan Ephraim completed the scoring in the final minute as Paulo Sousa's men made it back-to-back away wins.
Blackpool striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher had the first meaningful shot on target when he latched on to DJ Campbell's clever flick-on but his shot was well saved by Rs goalkeeper Lee Camp.
Camp was a late addition to manager Sousa's starting XI after first choice Radek Cerny pulled up with a hamstring strain in the warm-up but was soon called into action as Taylor-Fletcher's effort tested him from distance.
The home side were dominant in the opening period but they fell behind against the run of play in the 17th minute.
Former Watford and Fulham striker Helguson, ploughing a lone furrow up front for the visitors, was the man who opened the scoring as he powered home Wayne Routledge's incisive cross with a header which left Paul Rachubka no chance.
Blackpool had been in thorough command of the game prior to conceding and did their best to respond immediately but midfielder David Vaughan's 20-yard shot was punched clear by Camp.
Punished
QPR's Portuguese manager Sousa handed a debut to former Manchester United and Celtic midfielder Liam Miller following his loan arrival from Sunderland while defender Kaspars Gorkss lined up against his former club.
The equaliser that was threatening throughout the opening period almost came just 20 seconds into the second half but David Fox's stinging drive from 20 yards out was bravely blocked by defender Gavin Mahon.
But again they were punished for their profligacy when the visitors were awarded a penalty in the 58th minute.
The referee had little hesitation in pointing to the spot following a blatant trip by defender Evatt as Cook surged into the area and Helguson stepped up to calmly stroke home his second goal of the evening.
Grayson threw on new-boy Krisztian Nemeth for the ineffective Roy O'Donovan on the hour mark in a bid to breathe fire into his stuttering attack.
And things went from bad to worse for the hosts when their third and final substitute Stephen Crainey, in only his second appearance of the season, was forced to leave the field of play after just 14 minutes on the pitch.
Their misery was compounded in the final minute when Ephraim applied a cool finish to Cook's threaded through-ball to make it 3-0.
