Harry Vale, who this week was called up to the Republic of Ireland squad, provided two assists as QPR thrashed relegation-threatened Portsmouth 6-1 at Loftus Road.
Paul Smyth, Rayan Kolli and Richard Kone all scored twice for the Londoners.
Rangers, who had lost three home games in a row, were on top from the start and went in front after seven minutes.
Vale's attempt to slip Kolli in on goal was cut out by Regan Poole, but the loose ball dropped to Smyth, whose strike from near the edge of the penalty area was helped in by a deflection off Pompey defender Connor Ogilvie.
Kolli doubled Rangers' lead on 24 minutes, collecting Smyth's pass and firing a low, right-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid from 25 yards.
It was 3-0 five minutes later as Vale, who switched his international allegiance from England and is now in the squad for the World Cup play-off games, was involved again, supplying a perfect pass in behind the Portsmouth defence to Smyth, who slotted past Schmid.
The visitors pulled a goal back out of nothing seven minutes before half-time when Swift, who gave the ball away in the build-up to the opening goal, scored with a right-footed strike from 25 yards that went in off a post.
Soon afterwards, QPR keeper Joe Walsh nervously fumbled Terry Devlin's shot over the bar and, early in the second half, an unmarked Jacob Brown side-footed over after being found by Ogilvie's cross from the left.
Portsmouth appeared to be finding a way back into the game, but Kolli's 55th-minute goal essentially sealed Rangers' win.
The young striker got the better of Conor Shaughnessy on the right, galloped towards goal and netted with a clinical finish, firing into the far corner of the net.
Kone made it 4-1 with an 86th-minute penalty after Esquerdinha was adjudged to have been tripped by Colby Bishop on the left-hand side of the box.
The striker netted again just over a minute later, racing onto Vale's through-ball and thumping home.
Second-placed Middlesbrough wasted an opportunity to tighten their grip on second place as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Blackburn.
With fellow promotion hopefuls Ipswich and Millwall also cancelling each other out in a 1-1 stalemate, Kim Hellberg's side had the chance to steal a march on their rivals but it was a familiar story as they failed to capitalise on their dominance.
Boro bossed the first half and should have been a couple of goals to the good, but Aidan Morris passed up a gilt-edged early chance and David Strelec's effort at the end of the half was wonderfully saved by Balazs Toth.
The pattern continued in the second half but battling Rovers stemmed the tide and, despite being roared on by more than 7,300 fans, Boro could not find a way through.
Josh Coburn earned what could prove to be a priceless point with a second-half equaliser for Millwall rat Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys took the lead late in the first half through Jack Clarke with visitors responding early in the second period through Coburn for a share of the spoils.
Centre-back George Campbell scored a priceless winner as West Brom eased their relegation fears with a deserved 1-0 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
The decisive moment came in the 26th minute when Campbell met Callum Styles' right-wing corner with a powerful far-post header that crossed the line despite attempts to clear by the home defence.
Cheered on by a sell-out contingent of travelling supporters, the Baggies defended their lead with few alarms against a Robins team for whom the end of an ultimately disappointing season cannot come soon enough.
A Shea Charles wonder goal helped promotion-chasing Southampton secure their ninth Championship win in 12 games with a 2-0 victory over Oxford.
Cyle Larin was also on target as Saints, with Finn Azaz (above) and Ryan Manning involved, extending their unbeaten run to 14 games in all competitions and consolidating their place in the top six.
Wrexham came from behind to strengthen their play-off hopes with a 2-1 win at Sheffield United.
The Red Dragons were second best in the first half and fell behind to an Andre Brooks goal in the 49th minute, but former Sheffield Wednesday striker Josh Windass soon levelled before Sam Smith headed in a 78th-minute winner.
The victory keeps Wrexham level on points with sixth-placed Southampton as they bounced back from Tuesday's 3-1 loss to Watford.
Hull secured three important points in their quest to remain in the play-offs equation with a 3-1 defeat of relegated Sheffield Wednesday.
Sergej Jakirovic's men were far from foot-perfect against the beleaguered visitors, who triggered a potential shock result when Jamal Lowe opened the scoring after 23 minutes.
But after Hull equalised 60 seconds later through Matt Crooks, there was always a sense the hopelessly ill-equipped Owls would fade.
Dominic Iorfa headed into his own net just before the interval, before which Wednesday were the better side following Crooks' equaliser.
But once Kyle Joseph coolly steered home a third on 58 minutes, a home win never looked in doubt against a side who have now claimed one point from their last 16 league games.
Derby boosted their chances of a top-six finish by dealing a big blow to Birmingham's own chances with a 1-0 win at Pride Park.
Birmingham went into the game knowing time was running out to try and get in the top six but they were second best throughout to a Derby side who thoroughly deserved a fourth successive home win.
The game was decided towards the end of the first half when Birmingham keeper James Beadle misjudged a Rhian Brewster header although Derby could have won by a bigger margin.
Patson Daka missed a penalty dented Leicester's survival bid in their 0-0 draw against Watford at Vicarage Road.
Daka's 40th-minute spot-kick was brilliantly tipped on to the post by home goalkeeper Egil Selvik. The striker also headed wide of a near open goal in the second half as the Foxes failed to climb out of the bottom three.
A largely sterile draw did little to improve Watford's fading play-off hopes, either. Indeed, it took Ed Still's side 70 minutes to manage a shot on target.
Norwich moved into the top 10 as Pelle Mattsson's early goal secured a 1-0 victory at Charlton.
The Canaries went ahead in the fifth minute at The Valley, the 24-year-old midfielder bagging his first goal since he joined from Silkeborg last summer.
Ali Ahmed's pass set up a shooting chance for the Dane on the edge of the penalty area and he sent a right-footed strike through a packed box and beyond Addicks goalkeeper Will Mannion.
