Daily Mail
Neil Warnock had an immediate impact in his first game as QPR manager by masterminding victory over promotion-chasing West Brom.
Warnock, who quit Crystal Palace to join Rangers this week, looked on as goals from Jay Simpson, Matt Connolly and Akos Buzsaky secured only their second win in 12 matches.
Had every managerial change at Loftus Road had this effect Rangers would have had the title sewn up long ago.
As it is Warnock, the club's fifth new boss this season, will be happy the west Londoners now have a little more breathing space above the relegation zone.
Chris Brunt pulled one back for Albion but they fell to a costly defeat which leaves them nine points behind Newcastle at the top of the Championship.
Warnock's teams have rarely been known for their flair but his first selection decision was to recall the hugely skilful, yet too often frustrating, Tottenham loanee Adel Taarabt.
The Moroccan midfielder began in his usual blur of stepovers and created the first goal for Simpson after 13 minutes.
He bamboozled Ben Watson down the right before swinging a low cross into the six-yard box which Albion keeper Scott Carson spilled at the feet of Hogan Ephraim.
Carson blocked Ephraim's stab at goal but the ball fell to Simpson, once of Albion, and he took a touch before firing his 13th of the season past the stranded keeper.
Five minutes later the vibrant hosts doubled their lead, Alejandro Faurlin's clever crossfield pass finding right-back Connolly in acres of space to slot the ball through Carson's legs.
Shell-shocked Albion took half an hour to muster up their first attack when Watson, who played for Warnock at Palace and had a loan spell at Rangers earlier this season, hit a volley from the edge of the area which was superbly clawed away by Carl Ikeme.
But the team with the best away record in the division were always going to be dangerous against a team who had not kept a clean sheet in 23 games.
And so it proved in the 35th minute when Jerome Thomas crossed from the left and Brunt looped a header back over Ikeme and into the net.
In the second half Simon Cox felt he should have had a penalty when he tumbled under Kaspars Gorkss' challenge, but young referee Stuart Atwell saved himself from an earful from Warnock by waving away the claims.
And Warnock was able to relax on the touchline when substitute Buzsaky put the hosts clear in the 67th minute with a curling free-kick, which was meant to be a cross but fooled Carson and flew in off the far post.
The Baggies' afternoon got worse in stoppage time when Cox had to be stretchered off.
Telegraph
Anyone scouring Loftus Road in search of a saviour may well have overlooked the 61 year-old with the slack jaw and receding hairline. But the mere shadow of Neil Warnock in the doorway appears to have cajoled Queens Park Rangers into life.
Less than a week after leaving Crystal Palace, his 11th club, he is remaking a 12th in his own weathered image. But to attribute Saturday's result solely to the Warnock effect would be disingenuous. While QPR enjoyed a new lease of life, West Brom simply committed suicide. Roberto di Matteo's team have won just one match in six.
"Both the goals in the first 20 minutes were terrible to give away," the Italian said. "You can't allow that. "It makes your day so much more difficult."
If goalkeeper Scott Carson still idly aspired to a seat on the plane to South Africa, it took 13 minutes for the door to be closed for the last time. Launching QPR's first meaningful attack, Adel Taarabt crossed. The ball was indisputably Carson's, but he failed to cling on, and after Hogan Ephraim had taken first bite, it was left to Jay Simpson to jab the ball in.
Left-back Marek Cech was at fault for the second goal, straying too far infield as Alejandro Faurlin played a diagonal pass to Matthew Connolly, who finished between Carson's legs.
Cech then went some way towards redeeming himself, beginning the move that led to West Brom's goal. Jerome Thomas's cross looked unthreatening, but at the back post, Chris Brunt's header was trained at the right trajectory to float into the corner.
As West Brom pressed for an equaliser, the main difference between the sides continued to be between the posts. While Carson garnered ironic acclaim whenever he claimed the ball, QPR's Carl Ikeme kept his side ahead with two excellent saves. His second, rushing out to deny Thomas, was outstanding.
If Carson thought his day could get no worse, he was wrong. Akos Buzsaky hoisted in a free-kick from the left, and as it eluded forwards and backs alike, Carson was left hopelessly stranded as the ball bounced over his head, off the post, and trickled in.
"We've had a good week," Warnock said. "It was a matter of finding out what I'm like. They've taken everything on board from the first day, and they've not let me down."
News of the World
Boss Neil Warnock made a dream start to his Rangers career as promotion-chasing Baggies were put to the sword.
Two goals in four first-half minutes from Jay Simpson and Matthew Connolly did the damage and eased Rangers' relegation worries.
Warnock said: "We produced good football at times and it was important they went out and played with smiles on their faces.
"This is a great club, with good fans, and the players responded. I've had to get to know them quickly and I wanted commitment.
"We got that and they also showed the vital ingredients of ability and skill. I can't pick out one player - they were superb right down to the subs."
Rangers took the lead when Baggies keeper Scott Carson spilled a low Adel Taarabt cross on 14 minutes and Simpson was on hand to tuck home his 12th league goal of the season.
They doubled their account when an unmarked Connolly ghosted into the box to drive through Carson's legs.
Albion were handed a lifeline when Chris Brunt headed home a Jerome Thomas cross on 36 minutes.
But Rangers made the game safe when Akos Buzsaky's inswinging free-kick eluded everyone, including the hapless Carson, before bouncing off a post and over the line.
West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo, angered by his side's defensive display, said: "We started really badly by giving away early goals.
"We said beforehand to keep it solid at the start and not give them any confidence. We did the very opposite.
"Now we need to pick up mentally and psychologically."
Sunday People
Neil Warnock enjoyed a winning start to his reign as QPR boss - then vowed to put a smile back on the club's face.
The former Crystal Palace chief has become the fifth manager at Loftus Road this season, and the 12th in three frantic years.
But his arrival inspired struggling Rangers to only their second win in eight games, and fourth in 22.
And Albion's defeat, coupled with Nottingham Forest's 1-0 win over Swansea, saw Roberto Di Matteo's men drop out of the automatic promotion positions.
Goals from Jay Simpson, Matthew Connolly and sub Akos Buzsaky proved too much for the Baggies, whose reply came from Chris Brunt.
"I told the players beforehand to smile and enjoy themselves," Warnock declared. "They are paid well and they are at a great club with good fans.
"I enjoyed the game. We've just had a few days together, and it'll take them a while to find out what I am like.
"We played some good football and scored some excellent goals. They were all superb. They wanted to win and did not show West Brom respect, but instead got stuck into them."
The controversial boss does not plan to rest on his laurels, despite making a winning start. "Today's result was not going to define the next few years," Warnock added. "We need stability at the club for the sake of the fans, players and board too.
"We gave away a goal because one lad did not do what he should have - and I told him in no uncertain terms."
Rangers gave their new boss the ideal start, scoring twice in the opening 18 minutes.
Adel Taarabt had already caused the Baggies defence major concerns with his tricky right-wing runs early on.
And the Morocco star then got past rightback Marek Cech to fire in a cross that keeper Scott Carson could not hold - and striker Simpson tapped in from close range.
Albion's misery deepened five minutes later as QPR went further ahead.
This time a clever move saw Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin play the ball into the Albion area and Connolly fired under Carson.
"We started the game really badly," Di Matteo fumed. "If you give any team a two-goal lead in the first 20 minutes your task becomes difficult.
"We now have to pick ourselves up.
We spoke before the game about keeping it tight early on, and then we did the opposite." Albion, inspired by ex-QPR ace Ben Watson, hit back on 36 minutes.
A well-worked move saw Jerome Thomas cross for Brunt to head back past Carl Ikeme into the far corner.
James Morrison and Simon Cox wasted chances to draw the visitors level before Rangers wrapped up the points in the 67th minute through Buzsaky.
The Hungarian curled in a free-kick that deceived everyone, bounced, struck a post - and trickled over the line.
Independent
Neil Warnock restored the smiles around Queens Park Rangers by making a dream start to his managerial career at Loftus Road, but he was given a helping hand with a shocking display from Scott Carson.
The former England goalkeeper was arguably at fault for all three of Rangers' goals as the Baggies slipped up in their quest for promotion to the Premier League. The win for Rangers lifted them to 16th in the table, but perhaps more importantly it was a huge boost to morale after the ill-fated reign of Mick Harford.
Warnock said: "I told the players to go out there and smile and enjoy it, and it was a good performance. Both the players and the fans needed stability and you want to start off with a win, but I always said today would not define the next few years. It is pleasing, and I could not single a person out today for praise, they were all great, from the goalkeeper to the subs."
Warnock was quickly up to his old tricks as he emerged from the players' tunnel just before kick-off. He graciously treated the home fans to a round of applause before turning towards the travelling West Bromwich supporters. He gave them a sarcastic wave before shaking his fist in the air. Unsurprisingly, it drew a hefty level of abuse which raised the noise levels at a subdued Loftus Road.
Warnock was soon up from his seat and barking instructions at his new players, and was on his feet again as Jay Simpson gave the home side a 13th- minute lead.
Warnock's former Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson lost possession in midfield and Adel Taarabt took full advantage to race through on goal. His cross caused chaos in the West Bromwich box as Carson failed to gather the ball and Simpson was on hand to fire in his 13th of the season.
The 61-year-old manager's great start got even better five minutes later when Matthew Connolly made the score 2-0. Alejandro Faurlin's first-time cross caught West Bromwich out once more and the right-back kept his cool to slot through Carson's legs.
Rangers' goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme, pulled off two great saves to deny James Morrison and then Watson but he was powerless to stop Chris Brunt from heading in his 10th goal of the season in the 36th minute.
West Bromwich started getting back into the game and Simon Cox fired narrowly over the bar, but Carson made another error to gift QPR the points. The substitute Akos Buzsaky had only been on the pitch for seven minutes when his floated free-kick from 35 yards left Carson stranded. The goalkeeper watched the ball hit one post and trickle over the line as the visitors were consigned to a defeat that left them trailing the Championship leaders, Newcastle, by nine points.
Albion's manager, Roberto Di Matteo, said: "Against any team, if you give away two goals in the first 20 minutes it makes it very difficult. We said before the game we wanted to keep it solid for the first 20 minutes, and we did exactly the opposite."
