Ian Holloway reckons his trick card of playing two quick strikers bamboozled Burton Albion after Queens Park Rangers ran out 3-1 winners at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Conor Washington was drafted in for his first start in four matches and he was joined up front by Aramide Oteh - making his full debut in the Championship.

Matt Smith had started the Rs' last match, a 2-1 win over Cardiff City on New Year's Day - notching the opener and setting up the winner.

And Rangers boss Holloway said Albion's central-defensive trio of Jake Buxton, Ben Turner and Kyle McFadzean would have been looking forward to marshalling Smith.

Aramide Oteh celebrates opening the scoring for QPR
Aramide Oteh celebrates opening the scoring for QPR

But in the end it was QPR who had the last laugh, with Oteh opening the scoring and Washington putting them back in front after Lloyd Dyer's leveller - with Massimo Luongo adding a late strike to add gloss to the result for the visitors.

"We changed what we did," Holloway said, referring to September's 0-0 draw at Loftus Road in the corresponding fixture.

"I didn't want them to be able to counter-attack us.

"Unfortunately they did get a goal, but we spoke to my team about doing things slightly differently.

Lloyd Dyer and co celebrate equalising against QPR
Lloyd Dyer and co celebrate equalising against QPR

"Leaving two quick lads on their last defenders and then thinking about getting it and working it and playing it to them with a bit of quality.

"And I think right from the off, you could see they weren't expecting that.

"They were expecting Matt Smith and a big challenge - and they were looking forward to that.

"I can tell you when they saw those two running through them and at them, they weren't very happy.

Jake Buxton heads clear in Burton Albion's 0-0 draw at QPR

"I thought their manager did a brilliant trick by changing it.

"I thought he did really well to change it (by moving Kyle McFadzean out of defence to a holding midfield role), and I thought that caused us a little bit of a problem."

All too often Burton relinquished possession carelessly, and that led to QPR's second goal with the midfield battle being lost, leaving the door open for Rangers' attackers.

For Holloway, that was the difference between the two sides.

Conor Washington celebrates putting QPR ahead against Burton Albion
Conor Washington celebrates putting QPR ahead against Burton Albion

"When I got to half-time, I told them what we need to do," he added.

"And then what you want is your substitutes to help you and you want the game to go the right way.

"Luckily for us we managed to get the second goal and then probably the third one pleased me more than anything.

"Because we passed it, we passed it and pulled one back and stuck it in.

Joel Lynch and Lucas Akins battle for a high ball

"Sometimes you just have to release the ball a little bit earlier, seriously, a little bit earlier.

"And I'm not going to rub it in, but you have to.

"We did, and I'm delighted, so let's get on with it."