By John Sinnott BBC Sport

Queens Park Rangers' poor away form continued as they lost narrowly to West Bromwich Albion to remain just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Graham Dorrans' first-half belter means the Londoners have picked up two points from their last 11 away matches.

Billy Jones hit the post for West Brom in the second half but QPR will rue the chances they spurned in this game.

Ben Foster twice saved efforts from Bobby Zamora, who also went close with a header before skewing a shot late on.

It is a defeat that leaves QPR on 31 points, two ahead of third-from bottom Bolton, though Owen Coyle's side have played two fewer games than Rangers.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • QPR's last league away win came on 5 November at Stoke

So QPR have four games left to ensure their Premier League survival - no easy task given they still have to play Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City.

The win pushed West Brom up to 42 points, but it took Dorrans' cracking goal to ignite a slow-burning game.

Neat play from Jerome Thomas and Peter Odemwingie created bags of space for Dorrans and as the Rangers defence failed to close down the Scot, he unleashed a shot that Paddy Kenny could not keep out.

Hodgson convinced Baggies are safe

Before and after the goal the Nigerian striker had gone close for the Baggies, first whipping a shot past the post and later seeing another effort blocked by Clint Hill.

Early in the second half it was Odemwingie who almost helped West Brom extend their lead when he cleverly laid the ball into the path of Jones, who sidefooted against the post.

Zamora had been deployed as a lone striker and but for Foster's alertness in goal the former Fulham forward might have given his side's survival hopes a much-needed boost.

But they failed to build on their early promise and it took Dorrans' goal to jolt QPR out of their torpor and ensure Zamora was provided with more effective support from midfield.

Samba Diakite went close with a shot, while Joey Barton delivered a deft cross with the outside of his boot that found Zamora, who nearly scored with a header.

Hughes rues missed opportunities

Almost immediately Zamora engineered a third sight of goal, controlling the ball with his left foot before crashing a right-footed drive against Foster's legs.

In an attempt to reinforce the supply route to Zamora, Shaun Wright-Phillips came on for Shaun Derry, with the winger quickly into action as he tried a volley that was blocked.

With a quarter of an hour to go Zamora skewed an effort badly wide after being teed up by Adel Taarabt, an opportunity which proved to be Rangers' last of the match.

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson: "We did well and I'm full of praise for the way my team dug in. That's two home wins, which makes it a good Easter for us.

"Losing Jonas Olsson before the game was a major blow, while we then lost Marc-Antoine Fortune in the game with a hamstring injury.

"I thought when we beat Blackburn we were safe, but with this win we are mathematically safe."

QPR manager Mark Hughes: "We never got to the levels we managed at Wednesday Swansea. I

"We didn't close down Graham Dorrans for the goal - we should have done better.

"In the second half we got into good areas but we didn't pick the right pass. "Their goalkeeper made a number of outstanding saves, but in our situation we need to convert those.

"When we have gone away from home and conceded it has been difficult for us and West Brom were happy to soak up pressure and hit us on the break.

"This was a missed opportunity. It was a game we needed to get something out of it."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

West Bromwich Albion

  • 01 Foster
  • 06 Ridgewell Booked
  • 23 McAuley
  • 25 Dawson
  • 28 Jones
  • 11 Brunt
  • 14 Thomas (Scharner - 80' )
  • 17 Dorrans Booked (Andrews - 71' )
  • 21 Mulumbu Booked
  • 24 Odemwingie
  • 32 Fortune (Long - 59' )

Substitutes

  • 19 Daniels
  • 20 Shorey
  • 26 Hurst
  • 08 Andrews
  • 33 Scharner
  • 09 Long
  • 31 Cox

Queens Park Rangers

  • 01 Kenny
  • 03 Hill
  • 34 Taiwo (Traore - 77' )
  • 35 Ferdinand
  • 42 Onuoha
  • 02 Diakite Booked
  • 04 Derry (Wright-Phillips - 56' )
  • 07 Taarabt (Helguson - 75' )
  • 17 Barton
  • 12 Mackie
  • 52 Zamora

Substitutes

  • 24 Cerny
  • 06 Gabbidon
  • 13 Traore
  • 18 Young
  • 14 Buzsaky
  • 32 Wright-Phillips
  • 22 Helguson
Ref: Moss
Att: 25,521

Match Stats

Shots

15 16

On target

10 6

Corners

6 8

Fouls

13 11

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:08 Full time

Full Time The referee blows for the end of the match.

90:00 +3:39

The assistant referee signals for offside against Jamie Mackie. Direct free kick taken by Ben Foster.

90:00 +3:22

Foul by Shane Long on Anton Ferdinand, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

90:00 +1:53

Shane Long produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the right-hand post.

90:00 +1:14

Jamie Mackie concedes a free kick for a foul on Shane Long. Ben Foster takes the free kick.

90:00 +0:38

Foul by Youssouf Mulumbu on Nedum Onuoha, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Samba Diakite from right wing.

89:59

Clint Hill fouled by Shane Long, the ref awards a free kick. Patrick Kenny takes the direct free kick.

87:27

Foul by Armand Traore on Shane Long, free kick awarded. Gareth McAuley takes the free kick.

86:47

Chris Brunt crosses the ball, clearance made by Clint Hill.

86:11

Outswinging corner taken by Chris Brunt from the left by-line.

85:37

Bobby Zamora concedes a free kick for a foul on Keith Andrews. Free kick taken by Ben Foster.

84:46

The official flags Bobby Zamora offside. Ben Foster restarts play with the free kick.

82:11

Joey Barton takes a inswinging corner.

81:49

Paul Scharner challenges Joey Barton unfairly and gives away a free kick. Joey Barton takes the free kick.

80:32

Foul by Clint Hill on Shane Long, free kick awarded. Strike on goal comes in from Chris Brunt from the free kick, save by Patrick Kenny.

79:53 Substitution

Substitution Paul Scharner on for Jerome Thomas.

79:34

Header from close range by Heidar Helguson misses to the right of the goal.

79:14

Inswinging corner taken by Joey Barton.

76:07

Ben Foster takes the direct free kick.

76:07 Substitution

Substitution Armand Traore replaces Taye Taiwo.

76:07

Foul by Shaun Wright-Phillips on Liam Ridgewell, free kick awarded.

75:36

Foul by Youssouf Mulumbu on Jamie Mackie, free kick awarded. Clint Hill takes the free kick.

74:43 Substitution

Substitution Heidar Helguson on for Adel Taarabt.

74:18

Centre by Adel Taarabt, Bobby Zamora takes a shot.

72:14

The assistant referee signals for offside against Bobby Zamora. Indirect free kick taken by Ben Foster.

72:01

Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Blocked by Liam Ridgewell.

69:48 Substitution

Substitution (West Brom) makes a substitution, with Keith Andrews coming on for Graham Dorrans.

69:48

Free kick taken by Anton Ferdinand.

69:48 Booking

Booking Caution for Graham Dorrans.

69:06

Unfair challenge on Shaun Wright-Phillips by Graham Dorrans results in a free kick.

68:48

Shane Long takes a shot. Blocked by Clint Hill.

65:55

Taye Taiwo takes a shot from a long way out clearing the bar.

65:40

Adel Taarabt takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post.

65:20

Shaun Wright-Phillips takes a shot. Liam Ridgewell gets a block in.

64:16

Foul by Jamie Mackie on Youssouf Mulumbu, free kick awarded. Ben Foster takes the free kick.

63:34

Chris Brunt takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, clearance made by Clint Hill.

62:07

Joey Barton has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide right of the goal.

60:50 Booking

Booking The referee shows Liam Ridgewell a yellow card.

59:27

Joey Barton has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.

59:13

Outswinging corner taken by Adel Taarabt from the right by-line.

58:37 Substitution

Substitution (West Brom) makes a substitution, with Shane Long coming on for Marc-Antoine Fortune.

58:04

Bobby Zamora sends in a cross, Shaun Wright-Phillips has an effort at goal. Gareth McAuley gets a block in.

55:39 Substitution

Substitution Shaun Wright-Phillips on for Shaun Derry.

55:39 Booking

Booking Booking for Samba Diakite for unsporting behaviour.

54:49

Joey Barton fouled by Graham Dorrans, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Joey Barton.

54:27

Effort from inside the area by Billy Jones bounces off the post.

53:32

Unfair challenge on Clint Hill by Marc-Antoine Fortune results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Nedum Onuoha.

52:05

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Marc-Antoine Fortune by Shaun Derry. Free kick taken by Graham Dorrans.

51:07

Centre by Nedum Onuoha, clearance made by Liam Ridgewell.

50:03

Free kick crossed right-footed by Adel Taarabt from right wing, clearance made by Graham Dorrans.

50:03 Booking

Booking Youssouf Mulumbu is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.

49:56

Unfair challenge on Nedum Onuoha by Youssouf Mulumbu results in a free kick.

48:59

Drilled right-footed shot by Graham Dorrans. Save by Patrick Kenny.

48:23

Unfair challenge on Jerome Thomas by Nedum Onuoha results in a free kick. Jerome Thomas restarts play with the free kick.

45:01

The referee starts the second half.

45:00 +1:04 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.

44:47

Billy Jones crosses the ball, clearance by Joey Barton.

43:29

Jamie Mackie produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.

43:07

Centre by Jerome Thomas, Gareth McAuley takes a shot. Patrick Kenny makes a save.

42:39

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Chris Brunt.

42:26

Drilled right-footed shot by Peter Odemwingie. Blocked by Anton Ferdinand.

40:11

Outswinging corner taken by Adel Taarabt, Clint Hill takes a shot.

39:57

Bobby Zamora takes a shot. Save made by Ben Foster.

38:36

Headed effort from deep inside the area by Bobby Zamora misses to the right of the goal.

38:08

Jerome Thomas is ruled offside. Anton Ferdinand takes the free kick.

37:17

Bobby Zamora gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gareth McAuley. Ben Foster takes the direct free kick.

35:14

Jerome Thomas is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Patrick Kenny takes the indirect free kick.

34:17

Marc-Antoine Fortune takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Save by Patrick Kenny.

33:55

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Graham Dorrans from the left by-line, clearance by Clint Hill.

33:42

Peter Odemwingie has a drilled shot. Blocked by Taye Taiwo.

32:49

Peter Odemwingie concedes a free kick for a foul on Clint Hill. Free kick taken by Taye Taiwo.

32:13

Effort on goal by Samba Diakite from inside the box misses to the right of the target.

31:27

Youssouf Mulumbu takes a shot. Patrick Kenny makes a comfortable save.

30:02

Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Peter Odemwingie goes wide of the right-hand upright.

28:27

Shot from just outside the box by Adel Taarabt misses to the right of the goal.

24:05

The ball is crossed by Nedum Onuoha.

21:31

Assist on the goal came from Peter Odemwingie.

21:31 Goal scored

Goal - Graham Dorrans - West Brom 1 - 0 QPR Graham Dorrans finds the net with a goal from long range to the bottom left corner of the goal. West Brom 1-0 QPR.

19:44

Joey Barton takes a shot. Blocked by Chris Brunt. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Adel Taarabt.

18:44

Foul by Jerome Thomas on Nedum Onuoha, free kick awarded. Adel Taarabt delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, Youssouf Mulumbu manages to make a clearance.

18:12

Graham Dorrans sends in a cross, clearance made by Taye Taiwo.

17:02

Unfair challenge on Graham Dorrans by Joey Barton results in a free kick. Graham Dorrans takes the direct free kick.

15:26

Corner taken by Chris Brunt played to the near post, clearance made by Clint Hill.

15:15

Chris Brunt delivers the ball, clearance made by Taye Taiwo.

14:37

Inswinging corner taken by Graham Dorrans, clearance made by Clint Hill.

14:27

The ball is crossed by Marc-Antoine Fortune, blocked by Taye Taiwo.

13:43

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Adel Taarabt from the right by-line, clearance made by Liam Ridgewell.

13:35

Centre by Joey Barton, Liam Ridgewell gets a block in.

13:03

Free kick awarded for a foul by Marc-Antoine Fortune on Samba Diakite. Taye Taiwo restarts play with the free kick.

12:51

Billy Jones produces a cross, blocked by Clint Hill.

11:53

The ball is delivered by Nedum Onuoha, save made by Ben Foster.

11:06

Peter Odemwingie produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that goes wide left of the target.

7:32

Close range shot by Peter Odemwingie goes wide of the right-hand upright.

4:29

Chris Brunt takes a shot. Blocked by Joey Barton.

3:09

Marc-Antoine Fortune is caught offside. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.

2:48

Youssouf Mulumbu fouled by Adel Taarabt, the ref awards a free kick. Ben Foster restarts play with the free kick.

2:07

Bobby Zamora takes a shot. Save made by Ben Foster. Adel Taarabt takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Youssouf Mulumbu manages to make a clearance.

1:22

Foul by Peter Odemwingie on Samba Diakite, free kick awarded. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to start the match.

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