QPR fight back to beat West Brom thanks to Charlie Austin hat-trick

QPR fought back from 2-0 down to record a precious 3-2 win over West Brom thanks to a thrilling Charlie Austin hat-trick at Loftus Road.

It was a very sloppy start for the home side, as they allowed Joleon Lescott and Silvestre Varela to both open their West Brom scoring accounts inside the first 20 minutes.

Referee Craig Pawson’s decision to award QPR a penalty soon after proved the turning point in the game, as James Morrison pulled at Leroy Fer’s shirt inside the area.

Austin, returning from a one-match ban, slammed the penalty down the middle to pull one back and then levelled it soon after half-time from close range after Ben Foster turned Richard Dunne’s header onto the bar.

The script was there to be written and Austin duly delivered, powering in a header at the near post to send Loftus Road into delight and move QPR two points clear of the relegation zone.

10' - GOAL! QPR 0-1 West Brom: The Baggies have the goal their early dominance has merited as Joleon Lescott nods in for his first for West Brom. Sessegnon, the smallest man on the field, flicks on the corner and the big centre half heads in at the back post.

20' - GOAL! QPR 0-2 West Brom: Big trouble for QPR here as Silvestre Varela makes it 2-0 to the visitors. A brilliant one-two between the Portuguese winger and Sessegnon gets him in on goal and, although Ron Green gets a touch on the shot, he slides the ball into the net.

24’ - GOAL! QPR 1-2 West Brom: Well it's raining goals as Austin slams QPR's penalty down the middle. It was given for a tug on Leroy Fer's shirt by James Morrison after Ben Foster spilled the ball. Looked the right decision, but should it have been a red card?

48' - GOAL! QPR 2-2 West Brom: QPR make a great start to the second-half as Austin scores again! The corner is well won by Richard Dunne, making amends for his poor defending for the opener, but Green turns it onto the bar. Zamora flicks the ball back across the box and Austin turns it home.

50' – PENALTY SHOUT: QPR appeal for a penalty as Barton appears to be tripped in the area. Nothing is given, however, and on second viewing it looks like a dive rather than another foul by Morrison.

88’ - GOAL! QPR 3-2 West Brom: Austin has his hat-trick! The first corner is cleared behind but the second is powered in at the near post by the prolific striker! He's the difference for QPR today and probably this season.

90’ – SO CLOSE: Berahino hits the post! West Brom so close to an equaliser. He twists Caulker left and right before smashing the ball onto the post from the left-hand side of the area.

QPR had not won any of their last 53 Premier League matches when behind at the break, a record going back to their 2-1 home win over Tottenham in May 1995.

Charlie Austin has become the first QPR player to score in five consecutive home Premier League matches.

West Brom have won just five of their 48 Premier League matches in London.

Charlie Austin for England? He may not be a fashionable choice but with 11 goals in the Premier League so far this season, he is surely close to a call-up. Rickie Lambert is struggling for a run of games at Liverpool and there could be a vacancy in the squad. Right now he’s in far better form than rivals like West Brom’s Saido Berahino.

Charlie Austin (QPR): There was a sense of inevitability about his final goal which tells you what a good player he has become. He’s not only lethal in the penalty area but also good in his link-play with Bobby Zamora and even at a spot of defending as well. He was the difference today and may well be for QPR at the end of the season, too.

QPR: Green 7, Onuoha 6, Caulker 5, Dunne 6, Yun Suk-young 5, Vargas 6, Barton 7, Henry 6, Fer 8, Austin 9, Zamora 7. Subs: Hill 6, Kranjcar 6, Hoilett 7.

West Brom: Foster 7, Wisdom 6, McAuley 5, Lescott 6, Pocognoli 5, Morrison 5, Gardner 5, Varela 7, Sessegnon 8, Dorrans 6, Ideye 4. Subs: Berahino 7.