Callum Styles proved decisive for West Bromwich Albion as the team clawed back from a deficit to earn a 1-1 stalemate against Queens Park Rangers in a Sky Bet Championship clash at The Hawthorns. The match began with QPR taking an unexpected lead in the 38th minute when a Chris Mepham own‑goal, completely out of sync with the flow of play, slipped into his own net.
That advantage was short‑lived; just three minutes later Styles restored parity, preserving the Baggies' impressive run of unbeaten home fixtures, now standing at eleven games, while QPR remained unbeaten on the road this season. Both sides created a fair share of opportunities, though West Brom appeared to have a slight edge in the number of chances generated. The line‑up featured several notable returns: former Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer and full‑back Conor Townsend earned their first starts since re‑joining the squad, and defender Chris Mepham was handed the captain's armband. The matchday squad reflected three of five changes from the previous Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Derby County, mirroring the number of alterations made by the visitors.
From the opening whistle, Albion pressed forward, with Rabby Nzingoula’s wayward strike deflecting off Felix Horn Myhre and skimming wide of the far post. Isaac Price later whipped an inswinging corner that was punched clear by QPR goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who was positioned on the line. In the 34th minute, Aune Heggebo rose to meet a cross from Collyer, unleashing a thunderous shot that seemed destined for the top of the net but instead struck the stanchion behind the goal, leaving the crowd stunned.
The own‑goal that gave QPR the lead came from a bizarre sequence: Kwame Poku surged forward, sending Rumarn Burrell racing into space. Burrell turned his marker and forced QPR keeper Max O'Leary into a diving save; the rebound ricocheted off Mepham’s head and looped into the empty net, an incident that ran completely counter to the prevailing rhythm of the game. West Brom responded swiftly. In the 41st minute, Styles—deployed out of his usual position at right‑back—curled a low‑driven effort from just outside the box into the bottom corner, marking his second goal of the season and leveling the score.
The equaliser reignited Albion’s attacking intent. Shortly after the restart, Price curled a free‑kick that threatened to give the hosts the lead, only to be tipped away by Charles.
Jayson Molumby then headed a Styles corner narrowly wide at the far post. Both managers cautioned their teams about the danger of counter‑attacks. QPR’s Kwame Poku forced O'Leary into a spectacular flying save after breaking free inside the box and unleashing a shot from 12 yards.
Meanwhile, Mepham’s powerful header from a corner compelled Charles to make a diving save, and later the goalkeeper had to react quickly to a low free‑kick from Styles after the full‑back was fouled on the edge of the area. The second half saw further drama.
Burrell’s header from a Harvey Vale corner was smothered by O'Leary at the foot of the post, and substitute Jimmy‑Jay Morgan had a golden opportunity to clinch the win for West Brom, blasting a header over the far post from a Molumby cross in the dying minutes. Post‑match, West Brom manager James Morrison praised Styles, saying, “I challenged Callum. He can’t just rest on being player of the season.
He’s been rewarded with a new contract and I didn’t want him to collect the money and drop in performance. I believe in Callum so much that I think I could play him anywhere and he would be just as good.
I told him to come inside onto his left foot and shoot, and it was a great finish. He’s comfortable playing in midfield, as a winger or wing‑back, so we were looking for the right balance with Rabby Nzingoula on the right.” QPR’s Julien Stephan reflected on his side’s display: “When you face a team with high confidence and strong recent results, it’s vital to be solid at the base.
Our defensive organisation was brilliant. Usually we are better with the ball and can create more danger, but today it was harder to build play, even though we had the best chance of the second half with Kwame Poku. It was a lovely move for our goal, and I enjoyed it because it fit our game plan of exploiting space behind their centre‑backs after regaining possession.” The match ended in a hard‑fought draw, extending West Brom’s unbeaten home streak and keeping QPR’s away record intact. Both teams will look to build on the positives and address the shortcomings as the Championship race intensifies.
The result also underscores the importance of squad depth, with several players making impactful returns after periods away from the starting XI. Fans can look forward to upcoming fixtures where both clubs aim to convert draws into victories and climb higher up the league table.