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QPR had lost 17 of their previous 19 away matches in the Premier League

QPR score three goals in first half

Second home defeat for West Brom since Pulis took over

QPR had previously won away only once all season

West Brom's Mulumbu red-carded for elbow on Barton

Struggling QPR convincingly beat West Brom to record only their second Premier League away win of the season and move within a point of safety.

Eduardo Vargas struck from long range before Charlie Austin headed a 16th league goal of the season and Bobby Zamora's superb lob made it 3-0.

Victor Anichebe headed a goal back for West Brom, who had Youssouf Mulumbu sent off for an elbow on Joey Barton.

But Barton wrapped up victory from close range after a counter-attack.

The defeat was West Brom's second at The Hawthorns since Tony Pulis took over as manager at the start of 2015, the only other reverse coming against Tottenham in January.

West Brom 1-4 QPR: Chris Ramsey says team believe in survival

QPR, meanwhile, had lost 17 of their previous 19 away league matches. Only two teams in the history of the Premier League have had fewer points away from home after 14 away matches than QPR's total of three - Sunderland (two) in 2007-08 and Burnley (one) in 2009-10.

But Chris Ramsey's men made a mockery of that dismal record by scoring three goals before half-time - the first occasion they have done so in the top-flight since February 1995 at Newcastle.

Vargas - rewarded with a start after his goal at Everton last time out - struck again, collecting the ball 25 yards from goal in the 15th minute and striding forward before striking a low drive beyond home keeper Boaz Myhill.

The on-loan Napoli winger was dictating play but his afternoon ended prematurely when he hobbled off after 30 minutes with a knee injury.

If it was a blow for the visitors, they did not show it as Austin scored a second QPR goal when he headed in at the back post on 37 minutes.

It was a neat, controlled finish but Austin was indebted to Niko Kranjcar, who, on as a substitute for Vargas, rose highest to flick on Matty Phillips's right-wing corner.

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Zamora made it 3-0 two minutes before the break with a magnificent finish, lobbing Boaz Myhill with the outside of his left boot from the angle of the 18-yard box. It was the 34-year-old's third goal of the campaign.

West Brom raised their game in the second half and gave themselves hope when substitute Anichebe headed in Saido Berahino's cross.

Rangers keeper Rob Green saved twice from Brown Ideye and easily held Berahino's tame header from five yards out as Albion pressed for a second.

But West Brom's challenge ran out of steam when Mulumbu, who had only been on the pitch for 13 minutes after replacing Craig Gardner, was shown a straight red card for an elbow on Joey Barton.

Barton completed a fine day for Rangers by scoring in stoppage time - his first Premier League goal since April 2012, when he scored in a 3-0 win over Swansea.

QPR move up to 18th in the table, a point and a place behind fourth-bottom Sunderland, who host Newcastle on Sunday.

West Brom have an eight-point cushion above the relegation zone but cannot relax just yet - four of their last five games are against Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Bobby Zamora's previous goal came in QPR's only other away win - at Sunderland in February

QPR recovered from 2-0 down to beat West Brom in the league earlier in the season

Victor Anichebe had not scored a Premier League goal for West Brom since netting against Crystal Palace in October

QPR skipper Joey Barton scored in stoppage time, his first goal of the campaign