QPR 3-2 West Bromwich Albion
Charlie Austin's stunning hat-trick rescued QPR against West Bromwich Albion.
The Englishman scored all three to claw back victory from the jaws of defeat after the Baggies had stormed into a two-goal lead at Loftus Road.
Austin was returning from suspension having missed Monday’s defeat at Everton while a fit-again Steven Caulker was also handed a start.
Caulker’s inclusion meant Nedum Onuoha was shifted to right-back in place of Mauricio Isla as the Chilean is back in his homeland to witness the birth of his child.
Rob Green was forced into an early reflex save when Stephan Sessegnon's pull-back was met by the right foot of Craig Gardner on the edge of the penalty area.
It was a positive start from the visitors and with only 10 minutes on the clock they had their reward from a poorly-defended set-piece.
Sebastien Pocognoli whipped in a corner, which a lurking Sessegnon flicked it on at the near post, allowing Joleon Lescott to head home the opener in the middle of the six-yard box.
Ten minutes later and it was two.
Silvestre Varela carried the ball from inside his own half before playing a neat one-two with Sessegnon, waltzed through the Hoops defence, then fired past an exposed Green.
Rangers were given a lifeline though moments later.
Referee Craig Pawson pointed for a penalty after Leroy Fer's shirt was pulled in the box and Charlie Austin made no mistake from the spot and sent Ben Foster in the wrong direction.
Harry Redknapp was forced into an early change as the clock ticked towards the half-hour mark, Yun Suk-Young heading off with a suspected muscle injury and Clint Hill coming off the bench.
Sessegnon tormented Rangers throughout the first half and almost restored their two-goal cushion before the interval but Green turned his powerful effort behind for a corner.
At the other end, Austin latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the area and curled one just over to see the men from the Hawthorns hold onto their lead at the break.
Three minutes after the restart and Austin did score his second.
Richard Dunne's header rebounded off the bar, falling kindly for Bobby Zamora, who knocked it back across the face of goal and Austin was waiting to stab beyond Foster.
QPR fans were screaming for another penalty when Joey Barton went tumbling, James Morrison the culprit, but this time Pawson was unimpressed and waved away the protests.
Redknapp swapped Eduardo Vargas with Junior Hoilett shortly after the hour mark to add some energy to his attack and the winger immediately created another chance for Austin.
The duo combined again with 12 minutes to go, Hoilett playing a teasing cross along the ground, with Austin only denied his third by an excellent Foster save.
But he could do nothing to stop the Hoops frontman powering in Joey Barton's corner to make him the first QPR player to score a hat-trick since Wayne Routledge in August 2009.
QPR: Green, Onuoha, Caulker, Dunne, Suk-Young (Hill, 29), Vargas (Hoilett, 66), Henry, Barton, Fer, Austin, Zamora (Kranjcar, 79) .
Subs(not used) : McCarthy, Ferdinand, Phillips, Mutch.
Att: 17, 560.
