For 53 minutes it seemed very much like a break from it all on the coast. So hospitable were Torquay that their fans were warned over the PA system that the regimental teasing of the opposition goalkeeper at goal kicks simply had to stop. It was "unsporting" and those taking part were likely to find themselves thrown out.

The welcoming party was not what Gerry Francis and his players might have expected. One of Torquay's best crowds in years hardly lifted the roof and the home side, far from chomping at the bit having earned an unlikely replay with a late equaliser at Loftus Road, took 27 minutes to muster an effort on goal. George Kulscar, playing as a makeshift defender, saw his 3rd minute header saved by Southall and Darlington fired wide as Rangers tamely failed to take advantage of Torquay's warm reception.

They were almost made to pay when Bedeau squirmed away from Kulscar but was denied by Harper, who recovered to complete an excellent double save by keeping out Holmes' follow-up. Rangers were afforded similar time and space in the opening stages of the second-half and Southall produced an impressive stop when Kiwomya latched onto Harper's long clearance to bring a save from the veteran goalkeeper.

Rangers' failure to take advantage of their territorial upper hand before walking onto a sucker punch handed Torquay a replay and looked to have handed the Third Division side a trip to Charlton when they opened the scoring against the run of play 7 minutes into the second period. Rangers failed to clear Holmes' corner and Bedeau forced the ball home to put his side in the driving seat.

But the lead lasted for less than three minutes. Richard Langley's cross was headed down by Kiwomya, for Stuart Wardley to smash home a stunning left-footed shot from outside the box. Kiwomya netted but saw his effort ruled out for offside and Miklosko, on as a 60th minute substitute for the injured Harper, saved from Holmes before Rangers went ahead with 18 minutes remaining.

A superb ball by Langley released Murray, whose shot was superbly tipped away by Southall. But Southall was unable to stop QPR taking the lead from the resulting corner and when Bruce's in-swinger was headed in at the far post by Kiwomya, Rangers took a giant step towards round four.

A place in the next round appeared to have been sealed in the 75th minute, when Wardley pounced to become the first Rangers player in two years to take his goal tally for the season into double figures. Bruce's low cross evaded Kiwomya, but not Wardley who duly converted his 10th of the campaign.

But Torquay set up a tense finish when they hit back with a goal in the 82nd minute. Centre-back Wayne Thomas rose to head home substitute Mark Platts' free-kick from the right. Rangers survived a frenetic last few minutes to belatedly secure their fourth round place. In fact Wardley might have claimed a hat-trick had he not just failed to get on the end of Darlington's cross and Southall denied substitute Ross Weare an injury-time goal with another fine save.