Ipswich Town shrugged off the lethargy that has consumed them over the past few weeks to inflict a first home defeat this term on QPR at Loftus Road last night.

The Suffolk side came from a goal behind to earn their first win of the campaign in some style, though they needed the not inconsiderable fillip of a controversial penalty to do so.

"It was definitely the turning point of the game," said QPR manager Gary Waddock. "It looked like the ref changed his mind. He wasn't going to give it but then he did. I don't think anyone in the ground thought it was a penalty."

The moment came in the 61st minute when Gavin Williams waltzed into the area and flung himself prostrate at the merest of touches by Damion Stewart. Simon Walton side-footed the ball low under the body of Paul Jones.

"If it wasn't a penalty, well, we deserve a bit of luck," said the Ipswich manager, Jim Magilton. "The way everyone at the club has responded and applied themselves, well it's terrific. I feel the luckiest man on earth."

It certainly was lucky, turning the game on its head just minutes after the hosts had taken the lead. In the 58th minute Dexter Blackstock had swung a hopeful cross in from the left wing. The ball found its way through to Rangers captain Kevin Gallen, who controlled it with his right and managed to apply the softest of left-footed touches to nudge it past Lewis Price.

The visitors, who had been on the ropes from the outset, showed good invention down the left wing, where Dan Harding was overlapping well with Matthew Richards.

Billy Clarke then rattled the crossbar as Ipswich grew in confidence but the game erupted after the interval with two goals in quick succession. And once Ipswich levelled, there was only going to be one winner.

First Walton hit a post with a volley from the right of the area, then, from Mark Noble's corner, Alan Lee rose to flick the ball on to Jason De Vos at the far post, who managed to bundle it home.

Ipswich added a third four minutes from time when the influential Gavin Williams surged down the left, beat his man and produced a cross that rebounded to the substitute Dean Bowditch, who managed to guide his header past Jones.

Tom Cary (Daily Telegraph)