West Brom 3 QPR 2 - analysis and pictures

'Twenty-six more points are still required to achieve objective No.1' was the safety-first message from boss and players alike. Yet while Steve Clarke and his team sounded a knowing note of caution to end another fine day in their fabulous autumn, they won't stop Baggies fans enjoying the next couple of weeks. And why not?

These are heady days indeed to follow Albion with another little piece of club history re-written on Saturday as hapless QPR became the latest victims ejected from Fortress Hawthorns, chastened by a home side brimming with belief.

And try as they might to strike a balance between excitement and realism, those inside the camp will have their work cut out putting a lid on the soaring optimism on the outside.

Stiff tests await when Clarke and Co return to action after the latest international break with Manchester City and Newcastle ready to pounce on any hint of complacency at The Hawthorns. But for supporters, those sober realities can wait.

For another two weeks at least, their side are riding high in the world's most taxing football league and there is a fortnight of pride to be enjoyed.

Not since 1919 had a Baggies side won their opening four home games in the top division. That achievement was duly chalked up by the boys of 2012 despite some second-half difficulties against Mark Hughes' expensively-assembled strugglers.

The side of 93 years ago extended the sequence to six Hawthorns victories en-route to the First Division title.

And, while even the most optimistic Baggies fans will not expect the Premier League trophy in the cabinet next May, there is a growing sense that Clarke's men are capable of giving their supporters a very special season to celebrate.

The fourth of their home successes was a curious mixed-bag of a victory. Albion's least assured all-round home display so far contained their best footballing moments.

The first two goals to be scored past Ben Foster on home turf made for a nervous second half and owed much to some uncharacteristic sloppiness in the Albion ranks. Yet the pacy, incisive attacking play that secured three points was, at times, truly thrilling.

It was not only the Baggies goals that caught the eye, although all three combined power and finesse and the first and third were created and taken with a serious swagger. There were other moments of excellence, too, with Zoltan Gera and Shane Long spurning excellent opportunities to claim more memorable goals.

The Baggies were aided and abetted by some shocking Rangers defending for whom Anton Ferdinand and Clint Hill had especially torrid afternoons. But there was no denying the confidence and sense of purpose flowing through Clarke's side, who set the tone as early as the sixth minute with a fabulous opening goal that represented a crushing blow to Rangers' hopes of kick-starting their season.

Long turned on the right and his foot race with Hill proved a miss-match as the Irishman raced towards the byline and delivered a pinpoint cross that the fast-arriving James Morrison simply had to guide past Julio Cesar with his head.

Morrison returned the favour nine minutes later when he tore past Hill and crossed for Long, who had sparked the counter-attack by clearing a corner but was unable to end it as his far-post shot flew over. But when Hill was outsprinted again on 22 minutes by Morrison and Ferdinand failed to cut out the cross, Gera seized on the loose ball and swept home his side's second.

It took two pieces of magic for Rangers to reduce the arrears as Esteban Granero's sumptuous pass was matched by Adel Taarabt's super volleyed finish 10 minutes before the break. And moments later another incisive Baggies break saw Peter Odemwingie's crossfield pass release Gera, who was denied only by Cesar's low save.

The half-time interval brought about a loss of cohesion for the Baggies, who lacked a crispness in their passing until the final five minutes, with the goal of the game as they sliced Rangers open with a one-touch move started and ended by Mulumbu and featuring clever touches from Morrison and Gonzalo Jara Reyes.

Even then, Granero had time to bend home a late goal as the visitors reduced the arrears again and Jose Bosingwa squandered an excellent stoppage-time chance to grab an unlikely point.

It tested the nerves of Baggies fans. But now they can look forward to a fortnight of happy reflection.

By Steve Madeley