Martí Cifuentes promised better times ahead after his QPR side clasped a crucial 1-0 win over Bristol City in the Championship on Saturday.

Ilias Chair’s first-half strike sealed an essential victory for the relegation-threatened Hoops as they climbed to within a point of safety.

Chair dispatched Lucas Andersen’s cut-back pass to fire the visitors ahead on 41 minutes, ensuring they left Ashton Gate with three crucial points and cutting the gap to Millwall in 21st after their 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. 

Head coach Cifuentes said: “I know we have the necessary spirit to move up the table and it was evident today.  

“Even the best teams in the world have bad performances sometimes but it is very important to react – and we did. We reacted at a high level.

“We know we are in a tricky situation.

“It is difficult to put together consistent performances and results. That is what we must be aiming for in our remaining games.

“Today we have been very good, but being like that for one game is not enough."

“There are enough games to go. We know we need to win our games and then things happen but we are very focused on ourselves.”

Midfielder Sam Field returned to the starting line-up and produced a priceless late intervention, fending away a stoppage-time header to preserve a clean sheet and thwart play-off chasing City. 

The former West Brom star was delighted with his side's immediate response after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Stoke City just three days prior. 

“That was a statement performance and a statement win,” Field told the club website. 

“It was a bit of a blip against Stoke as we had been on a good run, and it was just important that we put some points on the board, and I thought it was a terrific performance from everyone to a man.

“Everyone did their job and I am just happy to be a part of it.”

Rangers now have the chance to register back-to-back wins when bottom side Rotherham travel to MATRADE Loftus Road Stadium on Saturday, where a win could move the Rs out of the relegation places for the first time since September. 

This will be their fifth opportunity to do so and Field is determined they make this one count.

“There is still a long way to go but we have to, at some point, start taking our chances with this,” he added.

“We have worked so hard to get ourselves in a position to get out of it, we have to make it count.

“I will tell you now, Rotherham at home will not be easy. It will not be easy. But if we approach it with the mindset and the attitude that we had against Bristol City, I am sure we can get the points.”