Ray Harford had to endure cries of "Judas" from angry West Bromwich Albion fans, but he marked his return to a hostile Hawthorns by masterminding a vital point for Queens Park Rangers.

The QPR boss was the target of constant barracking from West Brom supporters after he walked out on the Midlands club last December to take over at Loftus Road.

But he was delighted when Iain Dowie ended a near two-year League goal drought to give Rangers the lead, only to be disappointed when rookie striker Lee Hughes equalised with a close-range header.

Dowie, playing only his second game in QPR colours, found the target in the 24th minute after a determined run into the heart of the Albion defence by on-loan Mark Kennedy.

The Liverpool man fired a low ball into the middle, giving 33-year-old Dowie the simple chance of prodding home at close range to claim his first League strike since March 1995, when he scored for West Ham against Manchester City.

But it was 1-1 in the 75th minute when the flame-haired Hughes - signed by Harford last summer from non-League Kidderminster Harriers - grabbed the goal that took Albion back up into the play-off zone.

Bob Taylor nodded the ball on and Hughes' first header was saved by Lee Harper, but the keeper stood no chance with the striker's second attempt.

Teams

West Brom: Miller, Holmes, Nicholson, Sneekes, Murphy, Carbon, Butler, Carr (Taylor 58), Hughes, Hunt, Kilbane.

Subs Not Used: Coldicott, Dobson.

Booked: Murphy, Hughes.

Goals: Hughes 75.

QPR: Harper, Yates, Rowland, Kulcsar, Ready, Morrow, Murray, Peacock, Dowie, Gallen (Sheron 78), Kennedy.

Subs Not Used: Heinola, Barker.

Booked: Dowie, Kennedy.

Goals: Dowie 26.

Att: 19,143

Ref: C J Foy (St Helens).