Martin Rowlands saw red, as the Baggies bounced back to the top tier of English football as Champions of the Coca Cola Championship.

The R's midfielder was the unfortunate recipient of one of the more harsher sending-offs of the campaign, when he was given his marching orders just before half-time for a mistimed tackle on Jonathan Greening.

Albion's numerical advantage told after the break, when Kim Do-Hoen nodded Tony Mowbray's men in front, before Chris Brunt put the icing on the cake for the Midlands outfit with a late second.

In truth, the final scoreline was harsh on the R's, who competed valiantly with ten men, with Gareth Ainsworth at the heart of everything positive for the hosts in front of a season's high crowd of 18, 309.

The R's injury list was extensive for the visit of Mowbray's men.

Akos Buzsaky, Rowan Vine and Patrick Agyemang were all sidelined, while Fitz Hall failed a late fitness test, meaning Zesh Rehman started at centre half.

Baggies top-scorer Kevin Phillips partnered Roman Bednar in attack, with Ishmael Miller resigned to a place amongst the Albion substitutes.

In a fast-paced opening, it was Angelo Balanta who was presented with the first chance for Rangers, but his left footed effort lacked direction, as it flew past Dean Kiely's right hand post.

The R's were enjoying the better of the opening exchanges and when Gareth Ainsworth sped past Paul Robinson on the right flank, his back post cross was latched onto by Dexter Blackstock.

The in-form striker seemed to destined to head the R's in front, only for Kiely to produce a top-class save at his near post, clinging on to the ball inches from the goal-line.

Albion's first chance of note arrived in the ninth minute, when Bednar saw his left footed half-volley from 12-yards tipped over spectacularly by Lee Camp.

Both sides continued to play some entertaining football and when Blackstock was brought down by Leon Barnett on the edge of the penalty box midway through the half, Rowlands curled a fierce free-kick inches wide.

At the other end, Brunt fired a flashing half-volley straight at Camp from an acute angle, before the busy Zoltan Gera lashed wide from distance.

Disaster struck for the R's in the 37th minute though, when Rowlands was the rather harsh victim of a scandalous refereeing decision from Mr Taylor.

Contesting a fifty-fifty ball with Greening, Rowlands was marginally late and having caught the outstretched shin of the Baggies captain, Taylor inexplicably pulled out a red card, to the amazement of both sets of players.

Greening was back to his feet moments later, before De Canio again opted to make a quick substitution, replacing the unfortunate Balanta with Mikele Leigertwood.

Undeterred, it was the R's who continued to pose the greater attacking threat, as Damien Delaney stung the palms of Kiely with an opportune right footed strike.

The Baggies replaced Bednar with Kim during the break, but it was De Canio's men who created the first chance of the second period, as Blackstock fired over from 25-yards.

Rangers' resistance lasted just seven minutes though, as Phillips and Gera combined to set up substitute Kim, for the simplest of close range headers.

The Baggies were buoyant now and after Brunt fired against the crossbar, Camp was on hand to save Kim's ferocious right footed drive.

Brunt wasn't to be denied though and when Albion were gifted another cheap free-kick by referee Mr Taylor in the 77th minute, the former Sheffield Wednesday man left Camp completely motionless, as he planted a sublime free-kick into the top left hand corner.

De Canio handed Under-18 starlet Romone Rose his QPR debut 11 minutes from time, but it was Albion's day - and Albion's season too. 

QPR: Camp, Delaney, Mahon, Mancienne, Blackstock, Ainsworth, Rowlands, Connolly, Ephraim (Rose 80), Rehman, Balanta (Leigertwood 38).

Subs: Cole, Barker, Lee.

Red Cards: Rowlands 37

WBA: Kiely, Hoefkens, Robinson (Moore 73), Barnett, Clement (Albrechtsen 53), Koren, Greening, Bednar (Kim 46), Gera, Phillips, Brunt.

Subs: Miller, Morrison.

Scorers: Kim 52, Brunt 77

Bookings: Clement 43, Robinson 70

Referee: Mr P Taylor

Attendance: 18, 309