Sheffield United proved once again why they are the cup upset kings by hammering QPR 3-0 at Loftus Road.
The League One club's top scorer Marc McNulty broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, and Jamal Campbell-Ryce scored twice in the second half to complete another famous Cup win for the Blades, who reached the semi-final last season.
QPR 0-3 Sheffield United
FA Cup Third Round
Loftus Road
Sunday 5 January 2015
Winners receive £67,500
Nigel Clough's men were denied a place in the final when they lost 5-3 to Hull City, having beaten Aston Villa and Fulham en route to Wembley.
But they must fancy their chances of another great Cup run, especially after this performance.
United have already reached a League Cup semi-final against Tottenham, having seen off West Ham and Southampton in the competition, and now they are looking good in the FA Cup after this convincing win.
Perhaps it should not have come as a shock, even though United have gone six league games without victory.
QPR have won only two of their past 23 FA Cup ties, while United have now won 12 out of 16 in this competition, and have lost only two out of 19 cup games since Clough took over as manager.
McNulty scored the winner against Southampton in December, and the Scottish forward opened the scoring here.
QPR defender Steven Caulker went on a run upfield for QPR, but when he and Leroy Fer lost the ball, Louis Reed started a counter-attack.
The midfielder ran at Rio Ferdinand before playing the ball to his right where McNulty kept his nerve to shoot home under the body of stand-in goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
The former Reading keeper, playing in place of Robert Green, was at fault as Campbell-Ryce increased United's lead shortly after half-time.
Reed swung in a corner that the keeper failed to deal with, and as the ball struck Jordon Mutch, Campbell-Ryce reacted quickly to poke it home from close range.
Redknapp introduced Bobby Zamora at half-time, and then added Eduardo Vargas to assist Charlie Austin, who had a quiet afternoon.
Zamora had QPR's best chance, when Matt Phillips crossed from the right, but the striker put his header wide of the far post from an unmarked position in the centre of the penalty area.
Fer also had a close range header blocked in front of goal, and United goalkeeper Mark Howard had a handful of long shots to keep out, but was otherwise rarely tested as QPR went down without much of a fight.
And the final ignominy was inflicted on them in stoppage time as Campbell-Ryce twisted and turned in the penalty area, teasing the home defence, before shooting past McCarthy to make it 3-0.
QPR were booed off the pitch by their own supporters at half-time and again at the final whistle, while United's noisy band of fans had another great cup win to celebrate.
Queens Park Rangers (4-5-1): Alex McCarthy; Nedum Onuoha, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Caulker (Isla 60), Armand Traore; Junior Hoilett, Jordon Mutch, Matt Phillips, Karl Henry, Leory Fer; Charlie Austin.
Substitutes: Bobby Zamora for Hoilett ht; Mauricio Isla for Caulker 60; Eduardo Vargas for Henry 60.
Subs not used: Clint Hill, Brian Murphy, Darnell Furlong, Reece Grego-Cox.
Sheffield United (4-5-1): Mark Howard; Ryan Flynn, Terry Kennedy, Jay McEveley, Bob Harris; Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Louis Reed, Stefan Scougall, Michael Doyle, Jose Baxter; Marc McNulty.
Substitutes: Jamie Murphy for McNulty 81; James Wallace for Baxter 89; Michael Higdon for Doyle 90.
Subs not used: Craig Alcock, Harrison McGahey, Iain Turner, Connor Dimaio.
Goals: McNulty 36; Campbell-Rice 49, 90.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
Watch highlights from Loftus Road
