ACADEMY starlet Paul Gallagher stole Julian Gray's thunder with a match-winning hat-trick last night as Rovers edged this eight-goal thriller.

Rovers raced into a 4-0 lead inside the opening 26 minutes as Gray scored a stunning goal and contributed two assists.

But Albion then launched a stirring second half fight-back, pulling the score back to 4-3 at one point, before Gallagher finally settled the home side's nerves with a sumptuous strike in the closing stages to wrap up the points and complete his hat-trick.

Gray, desperate to win a permanent move to the Premiership, showed flashes of his ability during a memorable first half in which Rovers threatened to run riot.

But it remains to be seen whether or not the 23-year-old did enough to convince Graeme Souness to add him to his squad.

The Crystal Palace winger took just five minutes to make his first valuable contribution of the night, dispossessing an Albion midfielder on the halfway line before releasing Ciccio Grabbi who crossed for Gallagher to tap home his first of the night at the far post.

Ten minutes later, Gray was instrumental again as Rovers made it 2-0, this time crossing from the left for Grabbi who flicked a deft finish past Daniel Crane after brilliantly dummying a defender.

Then Gray scored a quite magnificent third himself.

His route to goal appeared to be blocked when he latched onto a flick from Grabbi in the 19th minute but some slick footwork took him past two defenders and he then beat Crane with a powerful cross-shot which flashed into the far corner.

By now Albion were all at sea and Rovers added a fourth in the 26th minute when Gallagher's shot took a wicked deflection off James Chambers and bounced up into the roof of the net.

However, the anticipated second half goal-glut never materialised as Ronnie Wallwork, Lee Marshall and Simon Brown reduced the deficit to one with 10 minutes left.

However, Gallagher finally made the points safe with the best goal of the night, beating Crane with a breathtaking strike from fully 30 yards in the 86th minute.

ROVERS: Renton, Peers, McEveley, Donnelly, Martin Taylor, Johansson, Morgan, Gallagher, Grabbi, Nelson, Gray. Subs: Pelzer (for Johansson, 59), Corvino (for Grabbi, 65) Not used: Fitzgerald, Yelldell, Michael Taylor

WEST BROM: Crane, Adams, Sherwood, Wallwork, Berthe, Chambers, Mkandawire, Marshall, Cudworth, Brown, Warmer. Subs: Holmes (for Sherwood, 78) Not used: Midworth, Jones, Clarke, Smilke.

ROVERS RES...5 WEST BROM RES...3