ROY Hodgson hailed his team's grit and determination to hang onto a 1-0 victory against relegation-threatened QPR thanks to Graham Dorrans' superb first-half strike.

The Baggies boss believed his side were already safe before today's Hawthorns encounter - and was delighted with the way his players refused to take their foot off the gas.

Dorrans put the icing on the cake with his second winner of the season in the 22nd minute, following his last-gasp heroics in January's 2-1 success at Stoke.

It was Albion's fourth win AND clean sheet in five home games and it sees them remain in 13th place but now 13 points above the drop-zone on 42 points, with four games left, making them all-but mathematically safe.

"We've been under the impression that, from the end of March and going into April, to some extent we needed to fall over the line," said Hodgson.

"It's been a long, hard season and we've lost a lot of quality players along the way - including Zoltan Gera early doors.

"We've missed Reid and Brunt a lot, and now Morrison, so a lot of people have been thrown into the breach that might not have been under normal circumstances.

"But we've still not only got over the line, we've got over the line with a degree of margin or comfort.

"Forty-two points from 34 games is a really good achievement, in my opinion.

"I'm delighted with the players and I'm delighted that, in a game where we could have been forgiven for not putting in the real effort and not making that final effort, when your lungs are bursting, to get a block, we did all we could because we're safe and they're not.

"That speaks volumes for the players."

He added: "Towards the end, a lot of fatigue was showing and it's been a tough ask.

"But I was very pleased with the way the team held out under pressure.

"In the first half, we were looking pretty much good for victory because we played some very, very good football.

"We lost our way a little bit in the second half and Rangers put a lot of attacking players on the field, so they asked plenty of questions.

"But we showed a lot of grit and determination in keeping them at bay.

"There were a lot of good blocks in and around the penalty area and a lot of good headers.

"In fact, Ben's only real save was in the first half from a counter-attack."

The Baggies boss was also impressed by Dorrans' all-round performance as the Scotland international played his third game in just over a week - his joint-longest league run in the side in an injury-plagued season.

"It was a marvellous strike and he deserves a lot of credit after such a long period out in a season, which has been interspersed with injuries," said Hodgson.

"Every time he's looked like getting back in the team, he's had to drop out again.

"But I think it's been a fine week for him.

"He did well against Blackburn and was one of our better players up at Man City.

"It was his third game in a little over a week and he settled the game for us today."

PIC: HAPPY DAYS...Hodgson directs proceedings from the touchline in the 1-0 victory over QPR