Callum Styles secured a valuable point for West Bromwich Albion after the team rallied from an early deficit to finish the match level at 1-1 against Queens Park Rangers in the Sky Bet Championship at The Hawthorns. The visitors took the lead in the 38th minute when a Chris Mepham own‑goal, which came completely contrary to the flow of the game, slipped past the Albion defence. That advantage was short‑lived; just three minutes later Styles restored parity, extending the Baggies' unbeaten run at home to eleven matches, while QPR remained unbeaten on the road this season.
Both sides created a reasonable number of chances, though Albion appeared to have the edge in the opening stages. Former Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer and Conor Townsend were handed their first starts since re‑joining the club, and defender Chris Mepham was handed the captain’s armband. The lineup featured three of five changes from the previous Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Derby County, matching the number of alterations made by the visitors. West Brom pressed early, with Rabby Nzingoula’s wayward effort ricocheting off Felix Horn Myhre before drifting wide of the far post.
A subsequent inswinging corner from Isaac Price was punched clear by QPR keeper Pierce Charles, who was forced onto his line as the hosts continued to look for a breakthrough. In the 34th minute, Aune Heggebo met a cross from Collyer with a powerful rising shot that appeared to strike the cross‑bar, only for the ball to hit the stanchion behind the goal and bounce back into play. The turning point arrived when QPR capitalised on a defensive lapse.
Kwame Poku released Rumarn Burrell, who raced clear and forced Max O'Leary into a diving save. The rebound fell to Mepham, whose header struck his own head and deflected into the empty net, giving the London side an unexpected lead despite the overall rhythm of the match favouring the home side. West Brom responded swiftly.
In the 41st minute, Styles – deployed in an unfamiliar right‑back position – curled a low‑driven shot from just outside the penalty area into the bottom corner, marking his second goal of the season and equalising for the hosts. The goal came just before the half‑time whistle, restoring balance to a tightly contested encounter. The second half saw both managers make tactical tweaks.
Albion’s Isaac Price earned a free‑kick that threatened the QPR goal, only to be tipped away by Charles. Jayson Molumby later headed a corner delivered by Styles narrowly wide of the far post. QPR, aware of the danger posed by West Brom’s counter‑attack, sought to exploit the spaces behind the Baggies’ defence. Kwame Poku forced O'Leary into a crucial flying save after creating a chance inside the box, while Mepham’s headed clearance forced Charles into a reflex save from another Price corner.
Later, a low free‑kick taken by Styles was blocked by Charles after the full‑back was fouled on the edge of the area. QPR continued to press, with Burrell’s header from a Harvey Vale corner being smothered by O'Leary at the foot of the post. In the closing minutes, substitute Jimmy‑Jay Morgan had an opportunity to clinch the win for Albion, but his powerful header from a Molumby cross sailed over the far post, leaving the scoreline unchanged.
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 got to go and show it again.
He's been rewarded with a new contract and I didn't want him to pick the big contract up and not be at that level of performance. I believe in Callum so much that I think I could play him anywhere and he would be just as good. I said to him 'come inside onto your left foot and shoot' and it was a great finish. He's used to playing in midfield so he could come inside or he could stay wide.
When he was younger he played as a winger and he's played at wing‑back, so it was just about trying to get that balance right with Rabby Nzingoula. I thought they dealt with it really well." QPR’s Julien Stephan reflected on his side's performance, noting, "When you face a team with very good confidence and strong results it's really important to be strong in your foundation and our defensive organisation was brilliant. Usually we are better with the ball and are able to create more danger.
Today it was more difficult for us to create with the ball, even if we had the best chance of the second half with Kwame Poku. But it was a lovely move for our goal.
I enjoyed it because it was part of our game plan after the ball was regained to be able to use the space behind their centre‑backs." Overall, the match delivered a balanced spectacle with both teams demonstrating resilience and tactical awareness. West Brom’s ability to bounce back from an own‑goal and secure a point underlines their strong home form, while QPR’s disciplined defensive structure kept them in contention despite the setback.
The draw leaves both clubs with valuable points as the Championship race intensifies, and fans can look forward to further thrilling encounters as the season progresses.