An injury-time own goal from Kaspars Gorkss handed Plymouth a point and denied QPR a first Coca-Cola Championship victory of the season.

Heidar Helguson's first-half header looked like being enough to give Rangers boss Jim Magilton the first three-point haul of his reign, but a late period of pressure from the hosts was capped when Gorkss put through his own net.

Argyle have been tipped to struggle this season while Rangers will once again be expected to transform Flavio Briatore's cash into a genuine promotion bid.

But the hosts made the livelier start with Jamie Mackie firing over the top of Radek Cerny's crossbar in the third minute.

Rory Fallon had the ball in the net with a header moments later but he was well offside when he met the cross, before James Paterson had a volley deflected wide.

Magilton, who insists he can succeed where many others have failed under Briatore, was clearly irritated by his side's lacklustre beginning and was barking instructions from the touchline with 10 minutes gone.

Their first shot on target came from ex-Argyle favourite Akos Buzsaky, whose free-kick was tipped behind by Romain Larrieu.

Peter Ramage and Gorkss put headers over and Wayne Routledge and Buzsaky failed to test Larrieu with long-range efforts as Rangers gradually found their feet.

Larrieu was called into action on the half-hour, pulling off a fine reflex save to keep out Routledge's awkward, bouncing shot.

Three minutes later Tottenham loanee Adel Taarabt drew another save from the Frenchman with a shot from inside the penalty area.

But Rangers finally went ahead three minutes before the break after being awarded a dubious free-kick against Fallon.

Taarabt drilled the dead ball across goal and Helguson was given too much space to plant a simple header past Larrieu for his first goal of the season.

Plymouth were again on top after the break, and substitute Cillian Sheridan came agonisingly close to levelling with a rasping drive which flew inches wide.

Then Fallon missed a golden chance to equalise with a header from in front of goal which he inexplicably put wide.

Argyle heads appeared to drop as the second half wore on, and Rangers could have doubled their advantage but Routledge pulled his 12-yard volley wide.

Larrieu then saved from Rowan Vine before the hosts launched their late charge.

Gavin Mahon had already cleared one corner off the goal-line when, two minutes into stoppage time, Gary Sawyer's cross was unfortunately bundled into his own net by Gorkss.

Teams:

Plymouth: Larrieu, McNamee, Seip, Timar, Sawyer, Fletcher, Paterson (Duguid 86), Judge (Noone 82), MacLean (Sheridan 46), Mackie, Fallon.

Subs Not Used: Letheren, Arnason, Summerfield, Johnson.

Goals: Gorkss 90 og.

QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Hall, Gorkss, Borrowdale, Routledge, Leigertwood, Mahon, Buzsaky (Ephraim 72), Taarabt (Vine 76), Helguson (Agyemang 61).

Subs Not Used: Heaton, Stewart, Pellicori, Connolly.

Goals: Helguson 43.

Att: 11,588

Ref: Roger East (Wiltshire).