Aaron Connolly netted a brace on his 23rd birthday alongside a Rob Dickie own goal as the Tigers won at the MKM Stadium for the first time in 2023.
Liam Rosenior made two changes to his starting line-up to the one that faced Sheffield United last time out. Callum Elder and Ozan Tufan came into the side for Jacob Greaves and Lewie Coyle, while Jean Michaël Seri was named captain for the first time.
Aaron Connolly had the first opportunity of the game as he looked to curl his shot into the far corner after spotting a back pedaling Seny Dieng, but the forward’s effort went narrowly wide of the target.
However, the Irishman wouldn’t miss his next opportunity as a good run and pass by Cyrus Christie down the right wing allowed Connolly to see his deflected shot hit the back of the net to secure his first Hull City goal.
Matt Ingram, who was playing against his former side, held a comfortable effort by Osman Kakay at the back post, before the Tigers shot-stopper pushed Ilias Chair’s whipped free-kick over the bar.
In the other goal, Dieng parried Christie’s low drive before Rob Dickie cleared away the rebound as Óscar Estupiñán looked to pounce.
Chances were a premium in the second half until the Tigers doubled their lead on the hour mark. After Connolly beat the offside trap from Seri’s through ball, the forward played the ball to Tufan. The Turkish midfielder drilled the ball across goal, with Dickie diverting the ball into his own net.
Two minutes later, the Tigers had a third. Seri’s long pass released Connolly through on goal, who dispatched his composed finish past the onrushing Dieng to secure himself a brace.
QPR looked to pull one back as a corner delivery by Chair was met at the back post by Dickie, but Ingram produced a strong hand to push the header away.
In the latter stages of the game, Sean McLoughlin saw his strike blocked by the QPR defence before Dieng held Greg Docherty’s header at the back post, after Elder’s corner wasn’t initially cleared.
Hull City (4-4-2): Ingram; Christie (Simons 89’), A. Jones, McLoughlin, Elder; Docherty, Seri © (Longman 74’), Tufan (Woods 74’), Slater; Estupiñán (T. Smith 89’), Connolly (Coyle 84’).
Subs Not Used: Lo-Tutala, Figueiredo.
QPR (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Kakay, Dickie, Dunne, Paal (Clarke-Salter 45’); Iroegbunam (Dozzell 46’), Field © (Johansen 75’); Roberts (Willock 79’), Lowe, Chair; Adomah (Armstrong 46’).
Subs Not Used: Archer, Hämäläinen.
Attendance: 16,418
