Burnley substitute Alan Mahon's well-taken goal stole the points in an entertaining encounter at Loftus Road.

Dexter Blackstock's driven shot flew by visiting keeper Brian Jensen to hand the R's the lead as early as the 14th minute, but Burnley hit back just after the half hour mark, as Robbie Blake smashed home from the edge of the box.

Substitute Mahon, on for the injured Chris Eagles, then won it for Burnley seconds before the hour, as he rifled a shot beyond Radek Cerny after Fitz Hall's weak header fell to him within the area.

Despite pushing forward in numbers, and a full five minutes of extra time, Rangers could not find that little bit of luck in front of goal - and were also denied a blatant spot-kick when Blackstock was sent tumbling to ground inside the box.

Caretaker Manager Gareth Ainsworth made just a solitary change from the R's last league outing in W12, with Hogan Ephraim returning at the expense of Emmanuel Ledesma, who dropped to the bench.

Patrick Agyemang was named amongst the substitutes, but there was no place in the 16 for Real Madrid loanee Daniel Parejo.

Clarets' Carling Cup goalscorer Ade Akinbiyi had to make do with a place on the Burnley bench, as Owen Coyle was forced to shuffle his pack following their win at Stamford Bridge.

Stephen Caldwell's sending off against Chelsea meant former R's defender Clarke Carlisle returned to the starting XI, while Steve Thompson replaced Martin Paterson.

A rip-roaring opening 12 minutes was capped off by an audacious effort from Rangers left-back Matt Connolly. With nothing else on, the youngster strode forward and unleashed a fizzing drive from fully 25-yards that narrowly flew over.

It proved the catalyst Rangers needed, as Lee Cook escaped down the left and cut a good-looking ball back for Blackstock. The lanky striker took a single touch and rifled a stinging shot into the bottom corner from 12 yards to hand the R's a deserved lead.

The goal put a halt to a worrying statistic. Blackstock's goal was the first time in 12 matches that Rangers had scored in the opening period!

The striker was at it again seconds later as he rose well and nodded an Ephraim corner looping towards goal. Jensen back-peddled just enough to tip it over, but Rangers were flying out of the blocks, Martin Rowlands forcing the Danish keeper into another save with a strike from the edge of the box.

Then out of nowhere, Burnley equalised. Patient build-up play found Blake in acres of space on the edge of the R's box. The striker swiveled on a sixpence and smashed a shot beyond the despairing Cerny and into the top-left hand corner to bring the scores level.

The Clarets had the bit between their teeth after a slow opening and Graham Alexander and Eagles both fancied their chances from distance. Neither one could hit the target however.

Chris McCann followed suit minutes before half time but Cerny caught easily enough. Burnley had seized the initiative and Rangers were on the ropes.

The half-time whistle couldn't come fast enough. When the teams ran out for the second period, Damien Delaney took the place of Connolly.

Burnley picked up where they left off however, and Eagles blasted inches wide cutting in from the left, whilst Wade Elliot struck an effort straight at Cerny.

Back came the R's and Blackstock was only halted by a clumsy looking challenge from Carlisle, and Samuel Di Carmine was denied by a fantastic point-blank save from Jensen when clean through.

A minute before the hour, the visitors took the lead. Elliot's determined run led to the winger feeding Blake out on the right, who lofted a tantalizing cross that Hall could only glance to the feet of substitute Mahon. The midfielder set himself and drove a shot across Cerny that settled into the far corner of the R's net.

Ainsworth responded to the goal by throwing on Ghanaian striker Agyemang at the expense of Ephraim.

Rangers were throwing everyone forward in a desperate attempt to find another goal. Hall's floated cross was headed agonizingly wide by Blackstock in the latest attempt at salvaging something from the match.

Burnley were still posing a danger, Blake testing Cerny from the narrowest of angles that needed a strong hand to beat it away from the Czech keeper.

That was followed with another iron-fisted save to deny Icelander Joey Gudjonsson, as Burnley looked to capitalise on the counter-attack after Rangers piled forward.

Rangers were frantic, Agyemang lashing a shot goalward that drew another vital save from Jensen, as the R's desperately sought a leveler. However, it was not to be, and Burnley ended a great week by recording another success in West London.

QPR: Cerny, Stewart, Hall, Blackstock, Rowlands, Ramage, Connolly (Delaney 46), Cook, Tommasi (Mahon 52), Di Carmine, Ephraim (Agyemang 62).

Subs: Cole, Agyemang, Ledesma.

Goals: Blackstock (14)

Bookings: Ramage (1)

Red Cards:

Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Duff, Carlisle, Gudjonsson, Elliott, McCann, Blake (McDonald 78), Jordan, Thompson (Akinbiyi 83), Eagles (Mahon 55).

Subs: Penny, Paterson.

Goals: Blake (34), Mahon (59)

Bookings: Gudjonsson (66), Mahon (79), McDonald (82)

Red Cards:

Referee: Mr K A Woolmer

Attendance: 13,286