Millwall could thank a blistering start as they earned a 2-0 Sky Bet Championship victory over QPR at the Den that lifted them back up to second in the table.
One win from their previous five games had stalled the Lions' promotion push, but early goals from Derek Mazou-Sacko and Camiel Neghli meant they controlled this London derby almost from the first whistle.
Alex Neil's side moved one point above Ipswich - who host fellow promotion-hopefuls Middlesbrough on Sunday - as the race to join Coventry in the Premier League next season nears its climax.
Millwall were ahead after just three minutes when Femi Azeez's low cross was cleared as far as Mazou-Sacko, who ran onto the loose ball to power a fine finish past QPR goalkeeper Joe Walsh from just outside the area.
It was the French midfielder's first goal for the club and it settled nerves of Lions supporters that had seen their side lose their last two home games.
The hosts were well on top and had an opportunity to double their lead by the time seven minutes had been played when Tristan Crama headed Casper De Norre's cross over.
It was a relentless opening quarter from Millwall and they celebrated their second goal in the 17th minute when Mazou-Sacko won the ball and quickly gave it to Neghli, who chopped inside before bending a lovely shot into the far corner.
Neghli then almost claimed his second after 24 minutes when he nipped in ahead of Jake Clarke-Salter to go through on goal and although he dinked his shot over Walsh, it cleared the crossbar as well.
The chances continued to come thick and fast for the Lions as Josh Coburn's header from Azeez's cross was tipped over by Walsh before Zak Sturge shot into the side netting.
QPR boss Julien Stephan made four half-time substitutions and saw his side create the first chance of the second half when one of those replacements, Rumarn Burrell, headed wide from Clarke-Salter's cross.
Morocco international Ilias Chair came on for his first bit of action since November - following injury - for the Hoops and nearly pulled one back, with a low shot from outside the area that went wide of the near post.
Millwall did not pose the same attacking threat as the first half, but they came very close to a third goal after 76 minutes when Coburn met Azeez's ball into the box before Walsh was somehow able to save with his legs.
It took QPR until the 89th minute to register a shot on target as Nikolas Madsen's effort from 25 yards was kept out by Millwall goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who had a quiet afternoon on what was a successful one for his side.
Millwall's Alex Neil:
"I thought we needed to start fast. We needed to get the fans onside, we needed to be aggressive, we needed to try and pin them in, sustain pressure.
"We just needed to get ourselves on top of them - we've done that so often at home this season and you can see with other games, it's not easy to win at this stage of the season.
"But I thought today we certainly got that monkey off our back; I thought we attacked it, I thought we were aggressive.
"The disappointing thing, for me, at half-time was we weren't more than two goals in the lead because I thought we deserved that.
"We then had the best chance in the second half, with Josh Coburn's one across the face (of goal) - where their keeper makes a brilliant save - and I thought we managed the game really well.
"I can't really remember them having a chance of note."
QPR's Julien Stephan:
"The way how we came on the pitch and the lack of intensity in the first half, I think we struggled a lot and it was not a surprise to see the intensity of how they started the game.
"Winning the duels, picking up the second balls was a key point for us today.
"We spoke about that a lot before the game, but we didn't succeed in finding a way - in the first half - to compete.
"That's why we needed to change a lot of things during half-time, making four changes.
"I think it was better during the second half, not enough to create a strong momentum or to score one goal but enough to change the balance of power.
"We have some players who have come back from long injuries and we need to manage their playing time, so trying to stay competitive is the challenge for us until the end of the season."
