Mick Harford saw his men come from behind twice to earn a creditable draw against Ian Holloway's Blackpool at Bloomfield Road this afternoon.

In his first match in charge following Paul Hart's decision to leave the Club on Thursday night, Harford's R's got off to the worst possible start when Charlie Adam fired the hosts in front after just nine minutes.

Rangers drew level just after the hour with an Adel Taarabt penalty after Hogan Ephraim's shot hit the hand of Neal Ardley in the area.

Pool restored the lead through Gary Taylor-Fletcher's clever flick on 76 minutes but Matt Connolly ensured QPR got a share of the spoils with a goal fit to grace any stadium in the world.

The R's defender smashed a sensational volley beyond home goalkeeper Paul Rachubka from 25 yards to finally open his QPR account.

Harford made no fewer than four changes to the side that lost mid-week against Sheffield United. Carl Ikeme, Connolly, Fitz Hall and Taarabt all came in, with Radek Cerny, Gary Borrowdale, Peter Ramage and Jay Simpson dropping to the bench.

Goalkeeper Ikeme was handed his R's debut following his arrival on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, allowing Cerny to take a break after playing with an ankle injury in recent weeks.

With Ikeme between the posts, Hall took up the right-back berth with Connolly at left-back. Damion Stewart and Kaspars Gorkss continued in the centre while Mikele Leigertwood partnered Alejandro Faurlin in the heart of the midfield.

Akos Buzsaky took up his now familiar position on the left wing with Wayne Routledge on the right side. Patrick Agyemang began in attack with Taarabt playing just off him.

After a tentative opening, the first real opportunity arrived on six minutes when Taarabt picked up possession on the edge of the Blackpool box but his drive was well blocked by Tangerines defender Alex Baptiste.

Moments later Barry Bannan shot from similar distance at the other end but his attempted curler was easily gathered by Ikeme.

But on nine minutes the R's keeper could do nothing to stop Charlie Adam giving the hosts the lead. After fine work by Brett Omerod down the left, he picked out Adam unmarked at the far post with a fantastic cross, and the latter slammed home from close range.

As the R's tried to get back on level terms, Taraarabt almost freed Agyemang but his pass was slightly over-hit and Blackpool keeper Paul Rachubka was able to cut out the danger.

On 15 minutes some fantastic passing football involving Buzsaky, Taarabt and Routledge cut the Tangerines defence open, but Routledge was adjudged to be offside as his effort drifted inches wide of the far post from a tight angle.

Blackpool were certainly up for this match and on 23 minutes Keith Southern fired a 20-yard drive inches wide of Ikeme's goal, which had the R's stopper diving at full length to his left.

The R's were almost level on 34 minutes when Taarabt picked up the ball on the left following a strong tackle by Stewart on Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

The Moroccan weaved his magic on Neal Eardley with a series of step-overs before shooting at goal but his effort took a deflection and went out for a throw-in on the far side. Such was the quality, Taarabt's skills received warm applause from the home fans.

Seconds later he was at it again, as he left three players in his wake before sliding a through-ball for Agyemang, who pulled it back but Routledge was unable to get on the end of it as the ball drifted across the six-yard box.

At the other end, Taylor-Fletcher was inches away from connecting with Eardley's inviting cross but, fortunately for the R's, the Pool striker was unable to get that decisive touch late in the first half.

Harford made one change at the break, bringing Hogan Ephraim on for Buzsaky.

And just four minutes into the second half Taarabt went as close as you possibly can go without scoring. After typical trickery, he worked spme space on the edge of area before his low shot hit the inside of the post, rolled across the goal-line and hit the OTHER post before being hacked to safety!

On 54 minutes, the R's did draw level courtesy of a Taarabt penalty - which was typically stylish! The spot-kick was won when Routledge played the ball back for Ephraim to shoot from distance, and his effort was adjudged to have hit the hand of Ardley by referee Mr Kettle.

With Buzsaky no longer on the pitch, Taarabt took responsibility from 12 yards - and casually dinked the ball in as Rachubka dived to his right.

The 459 R's fans who had made the long trip north were ecstatic and in full voice, urging Harford's men on.

It certainly made for an exciting match as both sides refused to settle for the draw, instead pushing for all three points.

Ephraim seemed to be at the centre of everything the R's did in the final third, and in the 66th minute he shot just wide following a great cross-field ball by Routledge.

But it was Blackpool who grabbed their second of the game on 76 minutes when Southern's drive from outside the area was flicked beyond the helpless Ikeme by Taylor-Fletcher from four yards after more good work initially in the move by Ormerod.

Harford made two substitutions in quick succession as he looked to get Rangers back into this game with Peter Ramage and Antonio German replacing Hall and Faurlin respectively.

Taarabt was moved into the centre of the park, with German joining Agyemang in attack.

And it was an absolutely sensational strike by Connolly seconds later which drew gasps from the Bloomfield Road crowd as the R's were level once again.

With German tussling for possession 18 yards out, the ball came out towards Connolly, who didn't let the ball bounce as he teed himself up for a stunning volley from 25 yards which looped over Rachubka.

Once again, Blackpool fans were a real credit as they acknowledged the unbelievable effort from the QPR left back with applause.

With just six minutes remaining, both sides continued to battle for all three points, but in the end, had to settle for the draw.

Harford will take great pride from this performance as his men came from behind twice against a spirited and determined Blackpool side.

Blackpool: Rachubka, Crainey, Southern, Eardley, Evatt, Ormerod, Vaughan (Euell, 89), Taylor-Fletcher (Nardiello, 89), Baptiste, Adam, Bannan (Burgess, 62)

Subs: Martin, Euell, Gilks, Nardiello, Edwards, Butler.

Bookings: Adam (39)

Goals: Adam (9), Taylor-Fletcher (76)

QPR: Ikeme, Stewart, Hall (Ramage, 77), Leigertwood, Routledge, Buzsaky (Ephraim, 46), Agyemang, Gorkss, Connolly, Faurlin (German 80), Taarabt.

Subs: Cerny, Balanta, Simpson, Borrowdale.

Bookings: Routledge (90)

Goals: Taarabt (pen, 64), Connolly (84)

Referee: Mr T Kettle

Attendance: 7,600 (Away: 459)