Nottingham Forest got their biggest win of the season after demolishing QPR in a 5-0 victory which sees them finish in second place, equal on points with Newcastle, for at least 24 hours.

Forest totally dominated the first half and had Rangers quickly on the back foot with two goals in as many minutes and then added a third from the penalty spot.

Forest were four in front just three minutes into the second half, but they didn't have it all their own way and Rangers had chances early in the half. But Forest were in control once again for much of the half and the visitors could do nothing to stop them getting their fifth as they keep another clean sheet.

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Forest lost the toss and start the game attacking the Trent End and they got into their stride early on with some good football as they got the ball forward confidently in the opening minutes.

They created an early chance from a great cross by Radoslaw Majewski out to James Perch, who was on his own on the far left. He sent a beautiful cross into the box and Matthew Connolly did well to get on the end of it before Dexter Blackstock could.

Forest continued to threaten and took the lead when they were awarded a free kick just outside the D, after a foul on Blackstock. Robert Earnshaw took it and calmly chipped the ball over the wall and sent it curling high over Carl Ikeme and into the back of the net.

And they were two up just two minutes later when Paul Anderson made a superb run from the half way line, looked up and laid the ball in front of Earnshaw who was clear on the right. His crisp, right-foot finish made it look easy as he sent the ball low into the bottom of the net from 12 yards out.

A long-range shot by Majewski almost put them three up and Carl Ikeme had to reach high to punch the ball away.

A rare break forward by Rangers saw Lee Camp make his first save of the half, an easy catch from a shot by Adel Taarabt from 18 yards out.

Forest were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark when, after some superb build-up play, Earnshaw was bundled over clumsily by Kaspars Gorkss inside the box.

After recent misses, Blackstock was not going to let Earnshaw take the penalty, in spite of being on a hat-trick. He grabbed the ball firmly, placed it on the penalty spot and looked confident as he sent the keeper the wrong way as the ball went low into the bottom left of the goal to put Forest three up.

The pace dropped slightly in the final quarter of the first half, but Forest still looked in control.

QPR had a chance to get one back just after the start of the second half when they won a free kick about 2 yards outside the box. Taarabt side-footed the ball to Nigel Quashie whose effort from 20 yards saw Camp dive to his left to make a good save.

But Forest were four in front just three 3 minutes into the half with a great effort from Chris Cohen who ran onto Perch's ball, turn and with nobody marking him, sent the ball rocketing into the back of the net from 25 yards out.

Rangers then had a good period of possession after this and came close when Camp was only able to parry away Connolly's effort. The ball came back out to Akos Buzsaki who wasted his chance, blazing over from close range.

And the Forest keeper was in action again when Buzsaki fed the ball to Taarabt who got a good shot in, forcing Camp to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner.

Forest pushed forward again and created a chance when Earnshaw put the ball wide out to Anderson, but his effort went across the face of goal and out the other side.

Another great move saw Majewski knock the ball through to Perch as he made a run into the box from the left but his effort was blocked and went out for a corner.

And from the corner, Blackstock's header found Earnshaw at the back post and his header bounced off the top of the post.

Anderson was the first Forest player to be substituted, receiving a standing ovation when he went off to be replaced by Nathan Tyson with 20 minutes remaining.

Wes Morgan received an even warmer ovation when he went off soon after. He had clearly been playing on after picking up some sort of injury, but did not look troubled by it as he went off, with Luke Chambers coming on in his place.

Forest were soon pushing forward again and the ball was played in beautifully by Blackstock to Tyson as he ran into the box and the referee ignored the fact that Quashie was impeding his progress, preventing him from getting a shot in.

Rangers' defence were all over the place as it took three chances for Forest to get the ball in the back of the net for goal number five. First Cohen's effort was cleared off the line, then Earnshaw mis-kicked in front of goal before the ball came out to Perch, whose effort from a tight angle at the back post finally found the target.

Blackstock was reluctant to leave the pitch when he became Forest's final substitute, with Dele Adebola coming on in anticipation of getting the sixth of the night for Forest.

As Forest put Rangers under pressure again, Tyson's pace took Peter Ramage by surprise and the Forest striker ran to the goal-line before pulling the ball back towards Adebola, but it was cleared by a Rangers defender.

As Rangers made a late attack on the Forest goal an excellent defensive header by Cohen kept Forest's clean sheet intact in the 90th minute.

Nottingham Forest: Camp, Gunter, Morgan(Chambers72min), Wilson, Perch, Cohen, Anderson(Tyson 70min), McKenna(C), Majewski, Blackstock(Adebola 81min), Earnshaw
Subs not used: Smith, McGugan, Moussi, McGoldrick
Scorers: Earnshaw 19min, 21min, Blackstock pen 32min, Cohen 49min, Perch 78min
Booking: McKenna 90min

Queens Park Rangers: Ikeme, Stewart,(Ramage 45HT) Leighertwood(C), Buzsaky, Gorkss, Quashie, Connolly, Faurlin(Ephraim 45minHT), Hill, Simpson(Vine70min), Taarabt
Subs not used: Cerny, Hall, Cook, German
Bookings: Buzsaky 12min, Taarabt 27min, Quashie 67min

Referee: E L Ilderton
Attendance: 23,293 Away attn: 693