Southampton claimed an easy victory over QPR in a match which would have proved uncomfortable viewing for Rangers' prospective joint-owner Flavio Briatore.

Rangers announced that Renault Formula One boss Briatore - who watched the game from the directors boss before leaving his seat 10 minutes from full-time - and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had made "a recommended offer" to complete a takeover of the Coca-Cola Championship club.

But two goals from Grzegorz Rasiak and a third from Bradley Wright-Phillips proves there is plenty of work to be done.

It was Rangers' first match since the death of forward Ray Jones, who would have celebrated his 19th birthday last Tuesday.

Jones and two other teenagers, Idris Olasupo and Jess Basilva, were killed in a car accident in east London in the early hours of last Saturday, and his former team-mates' shirts carried Jones' name on the back.

There was a minute's applause before kick-off for Jones, while flowers, cards and Rangers shirts containing messages of condolence were left outside Loftus Road.

Chairman Gianni Paladini laid a wreath in the centre circle before kick-off, and members of Jones' family stood on the pitch for the minute's applause.

After a scrappy start to the match, Saints took the lead in the 18th minute.

Wayne Thomas saw his shot tipped over the bar by Lee Camp, and from Youssef Safri's resulting corner, Rasiak climbed the highest to head in at the far post.

The home side almost went 2-0 down in the 33rd minute when Damion Stewart's underhit back-pass let in Rasiak, but after rounding Camp, the Pole opted to shoot rather than pick out the unmarked Nathan Dyer, and the grateful Camp saved with his legs.

Four minutes before the break, the lively Dyer teed up Rasiak, but Rasiak slipped as he prepared to beat Camp, and he could only shoot over the top after recovering his balance.

Southampton scored their second in the 45th minute when the excellent Jhon Viafara charged through the middle before being brought down by Camp as he was through on goal, but Rasiak was there to slot the ball in after referee Mike Thorpe played the advantage.

Camp was lucky only to be booked by for his foul on Viafara, and the goalkeeper then appeared to handle Andrew Surman's chip outside his area in stoppage time, but was not punished by Thorpe.

After half-time, Saints picked up where they had left off, with Dyer - always a threat on the right - crossing for the unmarked Wright-Phillips to head past Camp four minutes after the re-start.

Rasiak was close to his hat-trick in the 75th minute when he lobbed Camp, but was denied by Stewart's goal-line clearance, and seconds later Rasiak's close-range header was pushed over by Camp.

Saints boss George Burley was able to give debuts to second-half substitutes Jason Euell and Stern John, who would have scored but for substitute Danny Cullip's last-ditch tackle.

Teams:

QPR Camp, Curtis, Stewart, Mancienne (Cullip 84), Barker,Rowlands, Leigertwood, Bolder, Ephraim,Blackstock (Nygaard 69), Sahar (Nardiello 69).

Subs Not Used: Cole, Bignot.

Booked: Camp, Cullip.

Southampton Davis, Wright, Thomas, Makin, Vignal, Dyer,Viafara, Safri, Surman (Euell 64),Wright-Phillips (Saganowski 73), Rasiak (John 83).

Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Ostlund.

Goals: Rasiak 18, 45, Wright-Phillips 49.

Att: 15,560

Ref: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk).