QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes hailed the importance of QPR's first league win since August as they hauled themselves off the bottom of the Championship.  

A Žan Celar double earned Rangers a 2-0 win at Cardiff, their first victory in 13 league games, with the West London side climbing above Portsmouth to 23rd in the table.

And after witnessing his side grab a deserved three points in South Wales, Cifuentes could not contain his delight.

"It's a very important night - I'm very happy for the players," Cifuentes said to the club website. "They have been working so hard and I thought it was a deserved win.

"Perhaps it wasn't the best game of football - but football is about achieving and we achieved tonight.

"From a football perspective, I am probably more happy with the first half than the second. Cardiff attack really well - especially since their change in manager, they are playing with a lot of attackers in front of the goal.

"We were lower than I'd like in the second half - it was a very long one!

"But in the end we got our reward by using the space because of the risks they (Cardiff) were taking.

"It's difficult. We've not been achieving what we want to achieve and when you are leading in that situation, you are probably more protective than you should be.

"But the guys continue to work really hard and we just need to keep improving."

QPR next face Watford on Saturday, with the lunchtime kick-off a chance to build much-needed momentum in what has been a trying campaign.

And while his side will celebrate returning from Cardiff with three points, Cifuentes believes there remains plenty of room for improvement.

He added: "We still need to improve and one win will not change that - but ever since I've been here, we have shown that we are a family.

"The supporters have been excellent with us. We've had so many sell-outs and tonight, they were helping us along yet again.

"Hopefully we can build on this win now. No team in the world goes without its struggles and going 12 games without a win was hard.

"But what I know is that we've always competed - in some games better than others.

"As I said, we just need to keep on improving."