Blues returned to winning ways against QPR at St. Andrew's this afternoon thanks to first half strike from goalpoacher supreme Kevin Phillips.

Once again Super Kev was in the right place at the right time to force home a close range shot right on the stroke of half time and earn Blues a deserved1-0 victory.

Blues were somewhat disappointing in the first half, but they emerged as a completely different outfit in the second period of the game and dominated throughout with some first class play in which they could have easily added to their goal tally.

Alex McLeish made no less than three changes to his starting line-up with Garry O'Connor and Kevin Phillips returning up front in place of James McFadden and Cameron Jerome and Sebastian Larsson coming in for Mehdi Nafti.

On a bitterly cold lunchtime kick off Blues began the game kicking towards the Railway End.

Within two minutes of the start Blues had a goal disallowed and at the same time saw defender Liam Ridgewell booked for a deliberate handball.

Quincy crossed the ball into the QPR box and Ridgewell jumped with the goalkeeper and bundled the ball into the net, but the assistant referee had spotted that the centre half had used his hand and immediately flagged for the infringement.

Blues were fortunate not to fall behind on 20 minutes.

The ball was fired into the Blues box and as Liam Ridgewell went to head it away he was knocked to the ground where he lay prostrate and it fell nicely to Lee Cook.

But from just 15 yards out the QPR man could only blast his well struck effort straight at Maik Taylor.

Just a minute later Martin Rowlands fired the ball less than a foot over the Blues keeper's bar after he found himself free on the right hand side of the Blues box.

Blues' first effort on target finally arrived on the half hour mark courtesy of Kemy Agustien.

Quincy sent a ball in to far post, where Agustien rose above his marker and headed the ball backwards, but R's keeper Radek Cerny was able to save it comfortably above his head.

Alex McLeish's side were struggling to impose themselves on the game against a well organised opposition it was the visitors who were creating the better opportunities at this stage in the game.

Next to try his luck was defender Gavin Mahon who hit a fearsome 20 yard eshot, but thankfully it drifted away from the top corner of Taylor's goal at the last moment.

Right on the stroke of half time Blues finally broke the deadlock through Phillips.

David Murphy pinged a 40 yard ball from the half way line to the left of the QPR goal where Garry O'Connor expertly brought in under control.

He ran forward past his marker before cutting it back for Super Kev to stab it home from just four yards out.

Half time: Blues 1 QPR 0

Blues arrived back on the pitch several minutes before their opponents where they undertook a warm up in the centre of the pitch.

This extra session paid immediate dividends as Blues started the second half with a renewed sense of vigour.

David Murphy saw a great curling shot whistle just wide of the stantion and then Radhi Jaidi's header was well saved low to his left by Cerny.

In between the two chances Lee Carsley was substituted with a dead leg after 50 minutes to be replaced by Mehdi Nafti.

Whatever Alex McLeish had said in the confines of the dressing room had spurred his players on and they were looking like a completely different side to the one that had begun the game.

Every time Blues went forward they were looking confident and dangerous.

In an attempt to change his side's fortunes around Ian Dowie made his first substitution of the game on 68 minutes when Akos Buzsaky replaced Gavin Mahon.

Then on 76 minutes Mikele Leigertwood was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card after catching Agustien's head with his elbow as they both jumped for the ball.

From the resultant free kick by Nafti, Jaidi forced Cerny to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

McLeish made his second substitution on 75 minutes when James McFadden was introduced to proceedings in place of Quincy

And then just five minutes later he made his final change when a tiring Kevin Phillips was taken on off and Cameron Jerome brought on.

Ian Dowie responded immediately by bringing on Emmanuel Ledesma for Martin Rowlands.

As the game went into its final ten minutes Blues were beginning to look slightly nervous as they sought to hold on to their advantage and Rangers were looking more of a threat without creating any clearcut openings.

Deep into the four minutes of injury time Blues almost made it 2-0 when they broke forward as the R's pressed on and James McFadden slid the ball into the path of Cameron Jerome.

But as Jerome looked odds on to get to the ball first  Cerny came rushing out and got to it first leaving the Blues front man injured in a heap on the floor.

Fortunately after several minutes Jerome returned to the action for the final 30 seconds of the game and Blues held on to claim a well deserved win..

Full time: Blues 1 QPR 0

 Blues: Maik Taylor, David Murphy, Radhi Jaidi, Stuart Parnaby, Liam Ridgewell, Sebastian Larsson, Quincy (James McFadden), Lee Carsley (Mehdi Nafti), Kemy Agustien, Garry O'Connor, Kevin Philips (Cameron Jerome).

Subs not used: Colin Doyle, Martin Taylor.

Bookings: Ridgewell 2.

QPR: Radek Cerny, Damien Delaney, Damion Stewart, Gavin Mahon (Akos Buzsaky), Fitz Hall, Mikele Leigertwood, Dexter Blackstock, Patrick Agyemang, Martin Rowlands (Emmanuel Ledesma), Peter Ramage (Matthew Connelly), Lee Cook.

Subs not used: Lee Camp, Daniel Parejo.

Bookings: Leigertwood (71).

Referee: Andy D'urso

Attendance: 18,498