Rumarn Burrell's two goals boosted Queens Park Rangers to the fringes of the play-off picture with a rare home win over West Bromwich Albion.

The Rs racked up just their fourth victory at Loftus Road in the last 15 as Jonathan Varane and Burrell took advantage of some shoddy Baggies defending to put them two up inside an hour.

West Brom's man in form, Aune Heggebo, conjured up a remarkable headed goal to raise hopes of another comeback from Ryan Mason's side after they beat Swansea City from two down last week.

It failed to materialise after Burrell tapped in his eight goal in the last 10 games to ensure that the visitors suffered their sixth away defeat in a row, their worst run since the winter of the 2021-22 season.

For a game between two sides who knew a win would put them closer to the top six, it was a scrappy and disjointed affair for most of the first half, with chances hard to come by.

In fact, the first real opportunity brought the opening goal, in the fourth minute of added time at the end of the half, with Varane finding himself unmarked in the box for a simple header past Joe Wildsmith, making his first league start of the season, from Nicolas Madsen's excellent cross.

The goal heralded a much brighter second half but the home side seemed to have the points wrapped up when more dreadful defending saw Callum Styles attempt a pass to Alex Mowatt in a difficult position on the edge of his own box.

The midfielder tried to nudge the ball clear but it struck Richard Kone and fell for Burrell to bury into the far corner.

Both sides should have scored in a breathless few moments as Rangers keeper Paul Nardi denied both Heggebo and then George Campbell, seizing the ball from the latter's tame effort and launching it long.

With Chris Mepham and Wildsmith both leaving the bouncing ball to each other, Burrell nipped in and rounded the keeper before somehow shooting over the open goal.

Norway striker Heggebo then took centre stage with his sixth goal in the last five games, a header into the far corner from the edge of the area as he leapt to meet Mepham's cross.

He headed over as the Baggies pressed for an equaliser but Julien Stephan's side made sure of the win with three minutes left as Kone beat Campbell far too easily at the by-line and when Wildsmith could only parry his cross, Burrell was on hand to knock it into the empty net.

QPR head coach Julien Stephan told BBC Radio London:

"I don't know if it's a fantastic performance but it's a fantastic result for us. In the first half was a tight game, with not a lot of situations offensively, but we had a very good move just before the end, a great delivery from Nicolas Madsen and a great finish by Jonathan.

"That changed the game because in the second half we had more space and started well with a good second goal and a great situation to score the third one as well.

"They scored for 2-1 but I know the mindset of these players, they want to continue to attack and they scored the third.

"Credit to the players because I wanted them to confirm the last win at home against Hull, so that's two home wins and a third win in the last four games, so it's a good run."

West Brom head coach Ryan Mason told BBC Radio WM:

"In the first half we were far too passive, and to concede just before half-time wasn't ideal, but we came out in the second half and showed a bit more intent, a a bit more bravery, a bit more energy, and a bit more quality.

"But we gifted them the second goal, which you just can't do. Then we got ourselves back in the game again and were playing OK but the third goal was super disappointing as well.

"The formula isn't there at the moment away from home, that's for sure, and we need to try and change."

On Joe Wildsmith starting: "Josh [Griffiths] has been good, it's his first season at this level - that requires a different level of intensity, and Joe has trained well, and the feeling was that it was the flight time to make a change in that area."