In the only goal of the game, the Rangers centre-half would punish the Swans by smashing home a strike from 12-yards after the home side had failed to clear from a set-piece scenario.
In a game of few chances, the home side hit the woodwork twice through Matt Grimes and Aimar Govea but would struggle to breakdown their well-organised opposition.
Luke Williams’ side would lack the energy and conviction seen just two weeks ago in the south Wales derby against Cardiff and will now look to move on quickly to try to bounce back to winning ways.
The hosts came into the game off the back of a hard-earned point from Friday’s underwhelming 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday, a performance where head coach Williams admitted his side were not good enough on the day offensively to collect the three points.
Forward Jamal Lowe’s second in as many games would share the spoils for the away side but the Owls would be wondering how they didn’t come out the game victorious after squandering several chances to win the match in the second-half.
Looking for a response against another team scrapping for points in Queens Park Rangers, the Swans boss would make four changes to his starting eleven. Former Hoop Lowe and midfielder Joe Allen would be recalled, whilst there would be starts for Ollie Cooper and Jerry Yates.
Hoops manager Martí Cifuentes’ side would come into the match in stellar form having lost just once in their last seven matches as they looked to put daylight between themselves and the bottom three positions.
The Spaniard’s side buoyed from a last-gasp 2-1 victory of Birmingham City on Good Friday would make five changes for their trip down the M4 to south Wales. Experienced former Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback and striker Lyndon Dykes the notable editions coming in to freshen the side.
It would be the away side who would start the brightest, QPR winger Paul Smith blasting a low effort from an acute angle to force Swan goalkeeper Carl Rushworth into an early instinctive save.
Rangers would come inches away from opening the scoring moments later as the Swans defense would fail to react to Jimmy Dunne’s run on the right flank. The full back would square to Dykes, but the forward could only slot a deflected effort wide of the post.
The Swans would be neat in possession after a slow start, but very much like against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, would fail to create enough clear-cut moments in the final third.
Grimes’ volley from the edge of the box flashing wide of the right-hand post sparked life into what was a flat half, whilst on the stroke of half time Rangers goalkeeper Asmir Begovic would palm Josh Tymon’s powerful strike to safety and smother a Ronald effort after the Brazilian had been picked out by Lowe with a long-range cross field pass.
That would be the best of a mostly sluggish and pedestrian half where neither side would really look like threatening the scoreboard.
Playing on the front foot, the Swans would start the second-half much brighter and would almost take the lead minutes after the re-start.
Grimes bending a free-kick from 25-yards over the QPR wall beating Begovic but not the crossbar. Wales midfielder Ollie Cooper would then waste an opportunity shooting straight at the Bosnian from just inside the penalty area after good work from Ronald as the home side searched for a cutting-edge.
Williams would look to his bench to breakdown the Londoner’s frugal defense with derby hero Liam Cullen, Jamie Paterson and Liam Walsh introduced.
It would be QPR, however, who would score games only goal. A corner from the right would be failed to be dealt with by the Swans backline and only half cleared to centre-half Cook whose powerful volley from 12-yards would fly past a helpless Rushworth low into the bottom corner of the goal.
The Swans would respond well and would come close through substitute Govea’s looping effort which would come back off the angle. The visitors though would hang on resolutely and pick up their second victory of the weekend leaving the Swans still with work to do to secure their Championship status in the last six games of the season.
Swansea City X1
Carl Rushworth, Josh Tymon, Josh Key, Harry Darling, Nathan Wood, Joe Allen (Jay Fulton 33), Matt Grimes (captain), Jamal Lowe (Jamie Paterson 67), Ronald (Aimar Govea 83), Ollie Cooper (Liam Walsh 67), Jerry Yates (Liam Cullen 67).
Queens Park Rangers X1
Asmir Begovic (captain), Jimmy Dunne, Morgan Fox, Steve Cook, Jake Clarke-Salter, Jack Colback (Isaac Hayden 58), Sam Field, Joe Hodge (Sinclair Armstrong 45), Paul Smyth (Michael Frey 80), Ilias Chair (Chris Willock 73), Lyndon Dykes (Lucas Andersen 58).
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
