Fulham slipped to a deeply disappointing 2-1 defeat in the West London derby at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Substitute Mladen Petric’s deflected late strike proved little more than a consolation for Fulham who trailed 2-0 through second-half efforts from Adel Taarabt.

The lacklustre Whites should have been behind at the break after Jamie Mackie had missed a guilt-edged chance, while Taarabt and Djibril Ciise also went close for Rangers, who started the game bottom of the Barclays Premier League and without a win this season.

Taarabt broke the deadlock on 52 minutes with a shot that deflected in off Brede Hangeland, before the Rangers man added a second on 68, finishing off a run from deep with a sublime finish.

A miserable afternoon for Fulham was compounded when Steve Sidwell picked up a fifth yellow card of the season to earn himself a one-match ban and rule himself out of Saturday’s trip to Liverpool, before Petric gave the Whites a glimmer of hope with a fine strike from distance that took a slight deflection on the way.

Fulham boss Martin Jol made one change from the side that defeated Newcastle United on Monday night, Kieran Richardson coming in for Alexander Kačaniklić, who dropped down to the bench.

Rangers had the first chance in the second minute of the game. Shaun Wright-Phillips played the ball to Taarabt who tried to slip Cisse in. Despite the close attentions of Aaron Hughes, Ciise got a shot away but Mark Schwarzer palmed his effort to safety.

The hosts should have gone in front on six minutes. John Arne Riise’s backpass was short, allowing Mackie a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. But, with just Schwarzer to beat, he put his shot the wrong side of the post.

QPR continued to make the running. Taarabt saw two efforts from distance go wide, before Schwarzer needed a couple of attempts to get hold of a Cisse drive from 20 yards.

Fulham’s first productive venture forward didn’t come until the 32nd minute, Rob Green doing well to cut out Sascha Riether’s dangerous cross with Hugo Rodallega waiting to pounce at the far post.

Jol made a change at the break; Stephen Kelly replacing Riether. But just six minutes into the second period, Rangers went in front. Taarabt picked up a loose ball and drove forward. His shot from 20 yards would have been comfortably saved by Schwarzer but Hangeland stuck a leg out to send the ball past the wrong-footed goalkeeper.

Cisse then curled an effort inches wide of the far post after Chris Baird had been caught in possession as Fulham continued to flounder. Jol responded by bringing on Petric in place of Richardson.

A rare Fulham attack saw them earn a free-kick on 67 minutes. Petric got his shot up and over the wall but it was easily held by Green. A minute later and Rangers had increased their advantage. Taarabt picked up the ball on the halfway line, bundled through Hangeland and drove forward before rolling a shot into the far corner.

Ashkan Dejagah entered the fray soon after, replacing Rodallega. Yet Fulham’s afternoon was to get worse when Sidwell went into the book to pick up his fifth yellow card of the season and rule himself out of the trip to Liverpool next weekend.

Sidwell saw a shot blocked after a goalmouth scramble and Petric got Fulham back in the game when his strike deflected off a QPR defender and past Green.

With gaps at the back as the Whites pushed forward, Schwarzer made a fine save in the dying seconds to claw away Cisse’s header as Fulham, backed by a strong travelling support, slipped to a frustrating defeat to hand struggling Rangers their first win of the season.