Nobby Solano masterminded Aston Villa's Carling Cup win with a skilful display on a night when the Premiership club were nearly outfoxed by QPR.
There were several anxious moments for a Villa side who eventually progressed with their superior finishing from Darius Vassell, Juan Pablo Angel and Solano.
If Paul Furlong had shown the same strike power in the second half Rangers may have created a surprise result.
But Villa found their goalscoring form following two successive blank goalsheets.
Just what the Rangers management think of the Carling Cup was reflected in the fact manager Ian Holloway made no less than six changes from side which won at Brighton.
Dan Shittu made his first start in eight months since his cartilage operation.
Villa, on the other hand, recalled Angel but were forced to include Jlloyd Samuel at centre-back in the absence of Mark Delaney who was ill.
As a result Villa generally appeared sharper in attack with Solano showing his skill down the right flank.
But Rangers were given an early opportunity to take a shock lead when a poor throw by Thomas Sorensen bounced off Samuel into the path of Jamie Cureton. His powerful low drive was in turn deflected away for a corner by Samuel.
There was another lucky escape for Villa when Kevin Gallen gained possession from a move started by Cureton only to see his weak shot on the turn easily saved by a relieved Sorensen.
Villa, beaten in the semi-final last season, finally made their superior skill pay off in the 29th minute when Vassell derived great pleasure with his first goal since the opening day of the season against Southampton.
In heavy rain a Rangers move broke down when Martin Rowlands' pass was intercepted by Ulises De la Cruz.
He began a six-man move which ended with Lee Hendrie threading the ball down the middle into the path of Vassell who finished with cool assurance which has been missing in most of his games this season.
Villa increased their lead nine minutes later when Angel notched his second goal of the season.
Marcus Bignot was booked for a foul on Gareth Barry and from Solano's free-kick to the far post Angel was on hand to head home a neat goal.
The uncertainty in Villa's defence was exposed two minutes into the second half when a long pass from Shittu was collected by Olof Mellberg, but his pass back to Sorensen completely wrongfooted the goalkeeper and Kevin McLeod nipped in to notch an easy goal.
Four minutes later Sorensen clashed with Mellberg going for a ball on the edge of the area and the Villa skipper was far from pleased to be left lying on the turf.
Sorensen was again in action keeping out a close-range header from Shittu as Villa looked far from secure at the back.
The Villa keeper was again in desperate action when a left-wing cross found the unmarked Furlong, who was put off from equalising by the outstretched arms of Sorensen.
The Danish international certainly made amends for earlier problems with another desperate close-range save from Furlong.
Any hopes Rangers may have had of staging a comeback ended when Solano scored direct from a free-kick after Shittu had been booked for a crude tackle on Carlton Cole in the 78th minute.