Pictures and analysis of QPR 1 West Brom 1

If West Brom are to keep their FA Cup mission rolling on, progress will come at a cost.

The Baggies took a deserved place in the fourth-round draw from a low-key afternoon in London and will be favourites to complete their third-round task next week.

But aside from the crucial fact his side avoided an early exit from one of his favourite competitions, the return to Loftus Road could hardly have been more frustrating for boss Steve Clarke.

The Hawthorns head coach was back at the home of the Rs just 11 days after a much more pleasing day had seen his side claim a Boxing Day victory in the Premier League.

And just about anything that could have gone wrong did, as Albion kept themselves in the Cup at a price.

The Scot will have left Loftus Road more than content with the performance of his injury-hit side, but wondering just how he had upset the footballing gods quite so severely.

In the process of seeing his side keep their supporters' Wembley dream alive, Clarke saw another two players added to a lengthening injury list with serious concerns about Zoltan Gera's knee dominating the Baggies' thoughts.

He saw what remained of his squad toil throughout a scrappy afternoon as a tough Christmas and new-year schedule ended with a draining 90 minutes of Cup action.

And he saw a former charge from his West Ham days bag his first goal in more than five years to deny the Baggies' automatic passage into round four.

Kieron Dyer's 91st-minute strike gave Rangers a second chance they scarcely deserved and, in many regards, probably didn't want.

It handed the Baggies with a potentially tiring replay just days before one of the games their supporters relish the most – the Hawthorns meeting with Villa.

Even Baggies goalscorer Shane Long needed the aid of two fortunate deflections to give his side a late lead that they more than deserved. It was truly a day when nothing was destined to run smoothly for Clarke and his men.

Still, if West Brom can claim victory in the Hawthorns replay and keep themselves in with a shout of silverware, the afternoon of setbacks in the capital might just feel worthwhile.

It was certainly a display to be pleased with, who responded to back-to-back Premier League defeats by having the better of proceedings against a Rangers side boosted by their own momentous victory against local rivals Chelsea.

The game was far from a classic. But what chances there were fell West Brom's way.

Goalkeeper Boaz Myhill – whose inclusion ahead of Ben Foster was the only instance of 'resting' in Clarke's team selection – was never called into significant action by a Rangers side who were blunted for 90 minutes by solid defending.

The game rarely came to life as a spectacle, however, with long-range efforts the order of the day for long spells.

Gabriel Tamas and George Thorne failed to test goalkeeper Julio Cesar from distance for West Brom while Rangers talisman Adel Taarabt, who showed occasional flashes of his magic, weaved his way through midfield but blasted a shot wide.

Cesar made two smart saves, first to keep out Long's shot from a tricky angle and then to stop Romelu Lukaku's follow-up.

The Brazilian did even better to keep out a powerful header from Lukaku as the first half ticked by.

The Baggies' best first-half chance went begging as Marc-Antoine Fortune, Long and Lukaku linked up and James Morrison poked a shot agonisingly wide as he lost a little balance.

Romelu Lukaku's shot from a narrow angle flew just wide early in the second half before a DJ Campbell header looped over the bar for Rangers.

Stephane Mbia blasted over the Albion goal and Billy Jones missed the target at the other end with the umpteenth long-range effort.

Finally, the breakthrough arrived when Rangers substitute Nedum Onuoha suffered for two unlucky ricochets, the first of which allowed George Thorne to tee up Long with the second diverting the Irishman's shot past Cesar.

But Dyer was to have the last word as he pounced on a raking crossfield pass and found the bottom corner to give the Baggies their final kick in the teeth.

It was a solid performance but a tough day for Clarke and Co. Only time will tell whether the price is worth paying.

By Steve Madeley