PLYMOUTH Argyle's six-year stint in the Championship appears to be drawing to a close.

The relegation-threatened Pilgrims were beaten, and outclassed, by Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road last night.

QPR took the lead in the 35th minute when their talented Moroccan playmaker Adel Taarabt scored from the penalty spot.

And that advantage was doubled four minutes after the break, with centre-back Damion Stewart heading home from a Taarabt free-kick.

It was Argyle's 20th defeat in 34 Championship matches this season, and they could not even come up with a shot on target.

The Pilgrims remain seven points from safety, with only 12 games remaining.

They have another away game on Saturday, when they play Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena.

And Argyle will have to produce a considerably better performance than against QPR to stand any chance of winning.

There were recalls for left-back Gary Sawyer and midfielder Alan Judge for the trip to Loftus Road.

Sawyer's return to the team allowed Chris Barker to move inside to central defence and partner Kari Arnason.

That, in turn, meant Pilgrims' skipper Carl Fletcher was restored to his usual midfield role, with Luke Summerfield dropping out.

Judge came into the side on the left of midfield, to replace the injured Chris Clark.

Sawyer and Judge were both making their first starts for Argyle since the 2-1 defeat at Reading four weeks earlier.

There was one other change to the starting line-up from the 1-1 draw with Preston North End at Home Park on Saturday.

Rory Fallon replaced 18-year-old Joe Mason as the strike partner to top scorer Jamie Mackie.

Winger Craig Noone, who impressed as a half-time substitute against Preston, was sidelined by shin and ankle injuries.

And centre-back Reda Johnson continued to be ruled out by a groin injury he suffered in the 4-3 defeat at Sheffield United on February 27.

Mason and Summerfield were both on the substitutes' bench for Argyle last night.

So, too, was right-back David McNamee, who provided the only defensive cover for head coach Paul Mariner.

QPR were playing for the second time since former Argyle boss Neil Warnock took over as their manager.

They were full of confidence after beating promotion-chasing West Bromwich Albion 3-1 at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Not surprisingly, therefore, Warnock stuck with the same starting line-up.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray had travelled from Scotland to be among the guests in the directors' box.

As usual for Argyle games in London, there was a good turn-out from the Green Army, and they were in good voice at kick-off.

They saw their side make a composed start, until a mistake from midfielder Karl Duguid in the 13th minute almost proved costly.

Duguid gave away possession to Rangers' Hogan Ephraim, who cut inside and had his shot saved by goalkeeper David Stockdale.

There was another close call for the Pilgrims five minutes later.

Taarabt, on-loan from Tottenham Hotspur, sent a perfectly-weighted pass behind Arnason for Jay Simpson to run onto.

Rangers' top scorer sped into the penalty area but fired wide of the left post.

Argyle had to wait until the 25th minute for their first chance of the contest, but it was a good one.

Judge curled a free-kick into the penalty area and Arnason, who was not picked up, sent a header over the crossbar.

Taarabt was proving very influential for QPR, and almost scored a superb solo goal moments later.

He showed tremendous skill to trick his way past Fletcher, Damien Johnson and Sawyer before shooting wide of the near post from 18 yards out.

Argyle were finding it hard to make any in-roads into the QPR defence, with Fallon and Mackie starved of any decent service.

Rangers finally opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 35th minute.

They were awarded the spot kick when right-back Matthew Connolly crossed into the penalty area and striker Tamas Priskin was pulled back by Arnason.

Referee Paul Tierney was perfectly placed to spot the offence, and Argyle could have no complaints about the decision.

Taarabt took the penalty and coolly slotted into net, with Stockdale diving in the opposite direction.

It meant that for the eighth consecutive game Argyle had conceded the first goal of the contest.

QPR nearly increased their lead in the 41st minute, following a free-kick from midfielder Alejandro Faurlin.

The ball was flicked on by Kaspars Gorkss to his centre-back partner Stewart and he headed over the bar from close range.

The first half ended without a single shot on target from Argyle.

They did have one opportunity before the break when they were awarded a free-kick 20 yards out after a foul on Fletcher by Faurlin.

Judge took the shot, but only succeeded in hitting it into QPR's defensive wall.

Mariner opted not to make any substitutions for the start of the second half, but there was a change of tactics.

Judge was pushed further forward, in support of Fallon and Mackie, in a midfield diamond formation.

Duguid was shown a yellow card for a foul on Taarabt in the 49th minute, and from the resulting free-kick QPR scored their second goal.

Taarabt curled the ball into the penalty area and Stewart escaped any marking as he headed home from six yards out.

Argyle made a double substitution six minutes later as he tried to turn the tide of the match.

Mason was sent on for Fallon, while winger Yannick Bolasie replaced Judge.

Stockdale saved from Faurlin in the 57th minute, before Taarabt – who was proving unplayable for the Pilgrims – crashed a shot over the bar.

Argyle right-back Richard Eckersley was then booked for a tackle on Priskin.

Simpson went close to making it 3-0 with a sidefoot volley wide of the left post as QPR remained firmly in the ascendancy.

Warnock felt comfortable enough to take off Taarabt in the 73rd minute.

Former Argyle midfielder Akos Buzsaky was sent on for the Spurs' loanee, who was loudly applauded off the pitch by the home supporters.

Mackie was playing as a central striker, with Bolasie and Mason either side of him, but QPR continued to keep Argyle at bay with some ease.

A mix-up between Stockdale and Arnason gifted Simpson an opportunity in the 79th minute but, somehow, the on-loan Arsenal striker shot wide.

QPR were content to play out the rest of the match without really threatening any more goals.

For the 863 Argyle supporters at Loftus Road, it was a truly miserable evening.

Mariner, his assistant John Carver and goalkeeping coach Geoff Crudgington were locked in deep discussion on the pitch after the final whistle.

There was a lot for them to contemplate.