ANDREW Cole dragged Burnley back from the dead with a stunning hat-trick as the Clarets recovered from two goals down to snatch a sensational victory at Loftus Road.
Cole made it four goals in two starts - after Owen Coyle's side had felt the full force of a Rangers side looking for a fifth straight home win.
Goals from Gavin Mahon and Patrick Agyemang inside the opening half hour made that look a distinct probability.
But Rangers reckoned without the resilience of a battling Burnley side now with added firepower in the form of veteran Cole!
The sprightly 36-year-old, who opened his account against Colchester at the weekend, doubled his tally with a lightening flicked finish form Joey Gudjonsson's free kick.
Cole then rolled back the years to level the scores after the break with a typical poachers finish to a move he started.
Second half substitute Ade Akinbiyi then incredibly put the Clarets ahead 13 minutes from time with a simple header.
But Cole was not to be denied his hour of glory and the 36-year-old rolled back the years, completing his treble three minutes from time by sweeping home Graham Alexander's smart free kick.
Where to start?
Burnley made one change for the trip to Loftus Road, as skipper Steven Caldwell replaced David Unsworth (virus).
Elsewhere, it was as you were as the Clarets looked to halt the rise of the form team in the Championship, with four straight home wins propelling the Hoops up the table.
A lively start saw Luigi Di Canio's men go straight n the attack in search of a nap hand!
Akos Buzsaky's early free kick was deflected wide - bringing back memories of Johnnie Jackson's Colchester equaliser - and Hogan Ephraim let fly from 25 yards but was off target.
But in the 15th minute Rangers grabbed the lead with a cleverly worked goal.
In-form Agyemang's cheeky back heel took out Jon Harley near the right hand touchline and Buzsaky's inch perfect cross was met with a bullet header from Gavin Mahon form six yards out.
Burnley simply weren't at the races in the opening 20 minutes and Agyemang, who has found a new lease of life at Loftus Road, curled an angled shot wide as the home crowd smelt blood.
As Burnley tentatively found their feet, Joey Gudjonsson had the Clarets first effort midway through the half with a 30-yard volley that sailed into the massed ranks of upbeat Rangers fans behind the goal.
And soon after, a sweeping Burnley move involving five men saw Blake feed Wade Elliott with a great reverse ball, only for the winger's attempted cross to be deflected away from the inrushing Andrew Cole and Kyle Lafferty.
But as Burnley edged forward in search of an equaliser, disaster struck.
James O'Connor's misplaced pass on the edge of the Rangers box saw the hosts burst into a counter attack and Damien Delaney slipped Agyemang past a static offside line for the former Preston striker to walk around Brian Jensen and score his eighth goal in six starts.
Buzsaky was inches away with another drive from distance as the Clarets reeled on the ropes.
But five minutes before the break and out of the blue, the Clarets were right back in it!
Robbie Blake earned a foul 35 yards out and Gudjonsson's low rocket was turned high into the net by Cole's instinctive flick.
Half time gave Coyle a further chance to rally his troops after that disastrous start.
And with the introduction of Akinbiyi for Blake at the break, the hope was that Burnley would now give Rangers the same defensive palpitations that Agyemang caused the Clarets throughout the opening 45 minutes.
How Plan B worked!
In the 55th minute Cole was heavily involved in a move that swept from left to right.
And when he eventually threaded the ball through to Akinbiyi on the right hand edge of the area, the former England striker again showed all his predatory instincts to rifle the ensuing cross home at the far post.
Now the Clarets tails were right up and just after the hour mark, Elliott was a whisker away from turning the game completely on its head.
Lafferty intelligently switched the ball from left to right and the winger brought back memories of his stunner at Sunderland last season with a swinging piledriver that cannoned off the right hand upright with Lee Camp beaten.
Rowan Vine dragged a shot across Burnley bows as Rangers also sounded their intent in what was now an end-to-end thriller.
Sub Mikele Leigertwood hammered a low shot into the midriff of Jensen before Burnley grabbed the crucial winner.
Caldwell bravely won two headers to toss the ball back into the mix after Rangers failed to clear and there was Akinbiyi, steaming in to nod home his eighth goal of the campaign.
The scene was set for Cole to round off an amazing night in West London in the 87th minute.
Elliott was fouled near the right hand touchline and when Alexander angled a low ball into the near post, the prolific former Premiership star coolly swept the ball home at the near post.
Cole rightly received a standing ovation when he was replaced by Mark Randall in the closing seconds.
But for everyone at the club this was truly a night that will live long in the memory.
BURNLEY: Jensen, Harley, Caldwell, Varga, Alexander, Lafferty, J O'Connor (Spicer 90), Elliott, Gudjonsson, Blake (Akinbiyi 46), Cole (Randall 89).
Subs: Kiraly, Jordan.
Booked: Varga 79
QPR: Camp, Delaney, Mahon, Stewart, Buzsaky, Rowlands (Leigertwood 39), Connolly, Agyemang, Ephraim (Blackstock 69), Vine, Rahman.
Subs: Pickens, Mancienne, Lee
Ref: K Friend
Att: 13,410
