ALBION threw away two leads - and two vital points - on a frustrating night at The Hawthorns.

Everything looked rosy for the hosts when goals from Nathan Ellington and Diomansy Kamara gave them a deserved 2-0 lead inside 40 minutes.

But QPR stunned the Baggies by clawing themselves level with strikes either side of the break from Damion Stewart and Kevin Gallen.

Kamara put Tony Mowbray's side back in front by grabbing his eighth goal in just five-and-a-half games in the 54^th minute.

But there was to be another, final twist when Rangers sub Marc Nygaard earned John Gregory's never-say-die side a point with an 82^nd-minute header.

Albion were left scratching their heads at the final whistle as to how they had failed to win a game they dominated from start to finish.

As well as scoring three times, they created countless other chances but were ultimately undone by a rare display of slack defending.   

Mowbray made two enforced changes from Saturday's first league defeat in seven games at Blues.

With Paul Robinson starting a three-game ban, Steve Watson was recalled at right-back, with Martin Albrechtsen switching to left-back.

Central midfielder Ronnie Wallwork also earned his first start for seven matches in place of ankle-injury victim Nigel Quashie, while Kevin Phillips made a welcome return to the bench following a calf injury.

Albion started brightly and almost snatched a fifth-minute lead.

Watson exchanged a clever one-two with the twinkle-toed Zoltan Gera before firing a first-time effort just wide from 15 yards.

QPR soon hit back and only Wallwork's vital interception inside the Albion box denied Dexter Blackstock the simplest of chances from Gareth Ainsworth's low cross.

However, the home hordes were soon 'boing boinging' when Ellington fired the hosts into an eighth-minute lead.

Diomansy Kamara slipped Jason Koumas through in the box, only for Rangers keeper Simon Royce to parry the Welsh wizard's first-time effort wide.

But the alert 'Duke' was the first to the rebound and drilled the ball in off Royce from an acute angle.

Koumas was proving a real handful for the West Londoners' defence and ended a surging 14^th-minute run by firing straight at Royce from 20 yards, with the Rangers keeper gathering at the second attempt.

The early goal had failed to dampen QPR's spirits and, moments later, Pascal Zuberbuhler did well to keep out Steve Lomas' stinging 20-yard drive from Gallen's pull back.

Back came Albion and, after a lengthy spell of keep ball, Royce did brilliantly to tip over Watson's header from fully 18 yards after the ex-Everton man had been picked out by Albrechtsen's diagonal centre.

From Koumas' ensuing corner, Curtis Davies will feel he should have done much better after directing a free header over from ten yards.

Albion looked dangerous every time they attacked and Royce again kept the deficit down to one goal when he denied the unmarked Gera with a stunning reaction save from Kamara's pinpoint pass.

But it was to be a momentary reprieve as the buoyant Baggies secured a deserved 2-0 lead in the 40^th minute.

Kamara superbly controlled Koumas' diagonal ball with his chest before shrugging off the attentions of Rangers centre-half Stewart and drilling past Royce from eight yards.

But Albion's joy was somewhat tempered two minutes into stoppage time when the visitors pulled a goal back.

After a short corner, Cook swung in a sublime centre and Stewart ghosted in to stab the ball home from six yards.

Incredibly, Rangers clawed themselves level three minutes after the re-start.

Blackstock burst into the Baggies box before squaring for Gallen who stabbed home from close range.

Albion regrouped and only Ainsworth's stunning last-ditch tackle denied Ellington what looked a certain goal following Kamara's neat run and pass.

Stewart then had to make a vital clearance inside his own six-yard box after Greening had jinked his way into the box and cut the ball past Royce.

But the pressure finally paid off as Albion edged back in front in the 54^th minute.

Ellington did well to win a loose ball and thread Kamara through and the Senegal pace ace clinically fired into the bottom right-hand corner of Royce's net.

Albion created another gilt-edged chance in the 58^th minute when Gera raced on to Koumas' sublime through-pass and pulled the ball back.

Stewart's slip gave Ellington a clear sight of goal but the former Wigan striker fired straight at Royce.

Albion continued to press for a fourth and Ellington's dink header from Watson's pinpoint crossfield pass put Koumas in the clear.

However, Royce was alert to Koumas' intentions and stood tall to catch the ex-Tranmere ace's attempted lob at point-blank range.

Albion continued to pile on the pressure and Kamara was only a whisker away from converting Davies' head back across the face of goal from Greening's centre.

Koumas then saw a 20-yard curler deflect off Michael Mancienne and fly inches wide.

With Albion still only leading by the odd goal, the points were by no means safe.

Zuberbuhler first showed a safe pair of hands to hold onto Cook's close-range effort before the same player curled the ball just wide from a 20-yard free-kick.

But Rangers silenced the home hordes by equalising eight minutes from time when sub Nygaard headed home Cook's left-wing cross.

Albion laid siege to the Rangers goal in the dying minutes in a desperate search for a winner.

But they ultimately ran out of time as the Hoops became only the second team this season to leave The Hawthorns undefeated.

ALBION (4-4-2): Zuberbuhler; Watson, C Davies, Perry, Albrechtsen; Gera, Greening, Wallwork (Hartson 85), Koumas; Ellington (Phillips 72), Kamara. Subs not used: Hoult (gk), Chaplow, McShane.

QPR (4-4-2): Royce; Mancienne, Stewart, Rehman, Bignot; Ainsworth, Smith, Lomas, Cook; Gallen, Blackstock (Nygaard 63). Subs not used: Jones (gk), Milanese, Ward, Rowlands.

GOALS: ALBION - Ellington (8), Kamara (40 & 54). QPR - Stewart (45+2), Gallen (48), Nygaard (82).

BOOKINGS: QPR - Smith (foul 18), Bignot (foul 84), Lomas (foul 90+4).

REFEREE: L Mason (Lancashire).

ATTENDANCE: 17,417.

ALBION STARMAN: Jason Koumas.

(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)