Jimmy Dunne was sent off for arguing about  controversial penalty

The match rested on a contentious penalty Albion was granted in the 58th minute, which led to Jimmy Dunne’s dismissal for complaining about it after a terrible first half.

Referee James  gave center-back Dunne a second yellow card, forcing the Rangers defender to leave the game early after it was determined that Kenneth Paal had brought down Grady Diangana.

Brandon Thomas-Asante scored his fourth goaBelll of the year, but his first since August, with a vicious right-foot penalty.

Then, just nine minutes later, Diangana drilled the Albion second from close range to complete the Baggies’ fifth league win of the season and elevate them into the top six.

On a night when the game was 13 minutes late kicking off following the late arrival of the QPR team coach, the visitors failed to manage a single shot on target – and never remotely looked like doing so once they were down to 10 men.

Albion might have been ahead in the opening minutes when, after being fed by Diangana’s curling cross from the left, Thomas-Asante tried to take a touch to control the ball – and the chance was gone.

That set the tone for a very flat first half – and it took a moment of defensive brilliance to lift the contest early in the second half.

Ilias Chair of QPR appeared to have the goal at his mercy from eight yards out, but home defender Cedric Kipre made a fantastic block to stop him.

After being suitably buoyed, Albion improved their play on the other end. Diangana gave the home team their game-winning penalty and scored his first goal since February. In injury time, Albion had another chance to score but skipper Jed Wallace’s low right-footed shot went narrowly wide.