Kone scores 15-minute hat-trick as QPR wallop Swansea

Richard Kone made an emphatic return to form, scoring a hat-trick inside 15 minutes as QPR thrashed Swansea at Loftus Road.

Jimmy Dunne netted twice for Rangers, who were four up at half-time.

The resounding victory moved them back into the play-off positions, to ​eighth.

And they were further boosted by the second-half introduction of Karamoko Dembele, who returned to action 10 months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Swansea, who were top of the Championship until Friday night, were totally outplayed.

Striker Kone, who has struggled badly for fitness and form – and was yet to score this season – opened his account in the second minute.

Kwame Poku found Paul Smyth, who laid the ball across from the right for Kone to apply a simple finish.

Rangers doubled their lead on nine minutes. After Kealey Adamson won the ball off Melker Widell on the right, Poku delivered an excellent left-footed cross towards Kone, who headed into the far corner of the net.

And when the relentless Smyth was brought down by keeper Lawrence Vigouroux six minutes​ later, Kone converted the resulting penalty to complete his hat-trick.

Swansea did have their moments in the first half – Adam Idah fired against the bar shortly after they went behind, and keeper Pierce Charles produced a fine save to deny Widell just before Rangers’ third goal.

But QPR​ were very much on top and they made it 4-0 when Dunne rose to head home Harvey Vale’s corner in first-half stoppage time.

And in the 86th minute, Dunne stuck out a leg to divert Kone’s off-target​ shot into the net for the Irishman’s second goal and Rangers’ fifth.

QPR: Charles, Adamson, Dunne, Edwards, Kemper (Cirkin 80), Varane, Kamara, Poku (Dembele 72), Vale (Saito 72), Smyth (Kolli 72), Kone (Alemayehu 87).
Subs not used: Ward, Scarlett, Obikwu, Morrison.