Half-time: QPR 1 West Brom 2

Charlie Austin’s 24th-minute penalty – his ninth goal of the season – hauled QPR back into the game after they made a diabolical start at Loftus Road.

Rangers fell behind when Joleon Lescott headed home after Sebastien Pocognoli’s right-wing corner had been flicked on at the near post by Stephane Sessegnon.

And Silvestre Varela doubled West Brom’s lead when he waltzed through the QPR defence and applied the finish after exchanging passes with Sessegnon, who has been a constant threat.

But Rangers were given a much needed boost when James Morrison was adjudged to have impeded Leroy Fer following Joey Barton’s corner and Austin smashed in the resulting penalty.

Albion caused Rangers problems on the right-hand side in the early stages.

In the second minute, Sessegnon pulled the ball back for Craig Gardner, whose shot was pushed out by keeper Rob Green.

There was another anxious moment for the home side when Sessegnon took on Yun Suk-Young – who later went off injured – and found Baggies forward Brown Ideye, who fired wastefully over.

Lescott made no mistake, however, nodding in his first goal since joining Albion in the summer.

Sessegnon was also involved in the second goal 10 minutes later and the visitors looked in complete control before Austin, back from suspension, netted for the fifth consecutive home game.

Albion remained dangerous though and Rangers continued to struggle to contain Sessegnon, who had a powerful effort tipped over by Green five minutes before the break.

Austin also went close when he curled a shot narrowly over.

QPR: Green, Onuoha, Dunne, Caulker, Yun (Hill 29), Vargas, Henry, Barton, Fer, Austin, Zamora.
Subs: McCarthy, Ferdinand, Phillips. Mutch, Kranjcar, Hoilett.

West Brom: Foster, Wisdom, Lescott, McAuley, Pocognoli, Gardner, Dorrans, Morrison, Varela, Sessegnon, Ideye.
Subs: Myhill, Baird, Dawson, Gamboa, Yacob, Mulumbu, Berahino.

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