August 30th 2008, that was the last time I saw QPR score away from home. Little did I realise that sunny day in Bristol that I would travel to placed like Watford, Coventry and even Manchester united but fail to see single goal by QPR, it's even longer since seeing the team win away which was August 12th against Swindon. For a league win you have to go back to Southampton away last season, I won't check the date of that as it gets a little depressing. So as you can tell it's not been much fun on the road watching QPR this season but at last that run was ended with a comfortable win at Derby.

This was of course supposed to be a great day for Derby. They day they welcomed Nigel Clough as manager in charge for his first game and they also began the celebrations for the clubs 125th anniversary. Upon hearing this in the cab to the ground we were quite willing to turn round and spend the afternoon in the comforts of Derby's pubs but knowing Rangers when everything looks like it's going to go wrong they suddenly surprise you.

The mood among the noisy away end wasn't great to begin with many moaning that the team was too negative as Sousa went with a 4-5-1 formation. We've come for a draw was one person's assessment as we kicked off. Sousa made several changes to the side that lost at Burnley with Matthew Connolly replacing Hall at right back whilst Cook, Routledge and Helguson replaced Ledesma, Alberti and Di Carmine in the Rangers attack.

The game started at a slow pace with the Derby fans making plenty of noise and right behind the team that beat Man Utd just a week or so ago. They started the better of the two sides with the lively Kris Commons twice forcing Cerny into saves. The first was from a free kick which was comfortable enough but Cerny did very well to deny Commons when the former Forest midfielder volleyed inside the box and Cerny got down to save it.

Rangers looked slow and pretty ordinary early on but were kicked into life by what looks a serious injury. Rowlands went for the ball with Addison on the left and seems to twist his knee as he went down. He looked instantly in trouble banging the ground in pain but Derby decided to play on and worked the ball down the line for a good 30 seconds before Cerny booted the ball out of play so Rowlands could get treatment.

This was so frustrating as you so often see games stopped for nothing but this was clearly a serious injury and the referee just waved play on. The Derby fans booed but it was apparent that this was serious and the St Johns ambulance men walked across the pitch as it was a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, let's hope the amount of time it took for them to get on and help Rowlands won't prove to be costly to the player but as he was carried off in front of the QPR fans the look of pain on Rowlands face said it all, I doubt we'll see him again this season and I wish him all the best for a speedy and full recovery.

Sousa made a bold change to replace Rowlands going with Ephraim rather than Alberti as Rangers went to a more attacking version of the 4-5-1 and it worked very well.

Ephraim added a bit of spark to the Rangers midfield and it was his hustling and harrying which began to force mistakes by the home side and created a few openings. Routledge had our first chance after a ball forward by Stewart was pounced on by Routledge who sped past his full back but hit the side netting with his shot.

It wasn't long before we were ahead though and the first away goal I've seen since August which left me so shocked I didn't really know what to do. Ephraim chased down a Derby player to win the ball back before racing towards goal, he looked to pick out Helguson but the ball was cut out only as far as the unmarked Routledge on the right who fired in low to the near post for 1-0. It was a good finish but dire defending by Derby, still who cared Rangers had scored.

The goal gave the team a new found confidence and Derby collapsed. Routledge was easing past his full back time after time whilst Ephraim was all over the place finding space and causing problems.

Rangers fans were having a great time singing to the tune of In the Jungle "Paulo Sousa the mighty Sousa is going to win away win away win away win away etc" followed by "We're winning away, We're winning away, how shit must you be, we're winning away". It was nice to celebrate something on the road after so long.

Gorkss was close to converting a dangerous corner from Cook before we got our second and killer goal.

Connolly did well to win the ball back on the right and played a lovely ball to Routledge down the line. The right winger beat his full back again with ease and laid it back to Leigterwood who picked his spot and rolled the ball into the bottom corner sending Carroll the wrong way. This really was dreamland and the chants of you might as well go home we sung with some real confidence as the game looked as good as over now.

Lee Cook almost made it 3-0 before the break after a nice bit of skill on the right and a curling shot which was saved by Carroll. AT half time though Rangers fully deserved the lead and it was looking like it would take a right cock up to not win this one. Of course being a QPR fan that's exactly what I and many others feared with most of the talk at half time being when would they get one back to give us a panic.

The second half started with Derby on the front foot with a rocket in their ear from the new boss but Cerny was in good form and made an excellent early save from an Addison header to keep us 2-0 up and Derby quickly ran out of ideas with set pieces the only time they looked like opening us up.

The Rangers back four was excellent whilst in midfield Mahon did a very good job of protecting the back four whilst Leigterwood and Ephraim were both excellent. Rangers brought on Di Carmine for Helguson and the Italian almost created a goal with a ball to Ephraim who took it to the right before seeing his shot parried wide by Carroll.

Routledge continued to give his full back a torrid time beating him time and time again and he created a half chance for Leigterwood but Carrol was equal to it for a change.

Derby were getting worse and worse and some of their efforts on goal were laughable as they found the back of the stand or the corner flag more often than testing Cerny. Rangers even started showboating with Mahon, Delaney and Routledge all trying drag backs and back heels. It was great to watch and when the final whistle went it had been a very good win for Rangers.

We had plenty to improve on but as an away performance it was the best I've seen from Rangers this season by some distance. Routledge was very good as was Ephraim. Delaney had his best game of the season whilst the rest of the back four were also excellent especially Gorkss. Cook had a good first half but was quiet after the break and Helguson did well on his own up front.

I doubt this is the start of a run to the playoffs but we are slowly improving and I think we have the makings of a decent side.

Man of the Match: Mikele Leigterwood

Players Ratings: Cerny 7, Connolly 7, Delaney 7, Gorkks 8, Stewart 7, Routledge 8, Leigterwood 9, Mahon 7, Rowlands 7 (Ephraim 8), Cook 7 (Alberti 6), Helguson 7 (Di Carmine 7)