West Bromwich Albion managed to claw back a point after falling behind early, finishing the Sky Bet Championship clash at The Hawthorns with a 1-1 stalemate against Queens Park Rangers. The match unfolded with a dramatic twist when Chris Mepham inadvertently turned his own effort into a goal for the visitors in the 38th minute, a moment that came completely against the flow of the game. Just three minutes later, Callum Styles responded, restoring parity and extending the Baggies' unbeaten run at home to eleven matches, while QPR continued their impressive record of remaining unbeaten on the road this season. Both sides created a respectable number of chances, though West Brom seemed to enjoy a slightly higher volume of opportunities.
The line‑up featured several notable returns: former Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer and Conor Townsend earned their first starts since rejoining the club, while defender Chris Mepham was handed the captain's armband for the encounter. The team made three changes compared with the previous weekend's 1-0 victory over Derby County, mirroring the number of adjustments made by the visitors. The opening stages saw Albion dictate the tempo.
Rabby Nzingoula's wayward strike clipped the foot of Felix Horn Myhre, diverting the ball toward goal before it drifted wide. Shortly after, a corner delivered by Isaac Price was punched clear by QPR goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who was positioned on the line as the hosts pressed for a breakthrough. In the 34th minute, Aune Heggebo met a cross from Collyer with a thunderous rising effort that appeared to strike the crossbar, only to rebound off the stanchion behind the goal, denying the visitors a momentary lead.
The dead‑ball situation that followed produced the unexpected own goal. Kwame Poku surged forward, releasing Rumarn Burrell into space. Burrell's run forced Max O'Leary into a diving save, but the rebound ricocheted off Mepham's head and rolled into the empty net, gifting QPR a 1-0 advantage against the run of play. However, the Baggies were quick to answer.
In the 41st minute, Styles—playing out of his usual position at right‑back—curled a low, precise shot from just outside the penalty area into the bottom corner, marking his second goal of the season and leveling the score. After the restart, Price came close to giving West Brom the lead when his curling free‑kick was tipped away by Charles. A subsequent corner from Styles was met by Jayson Molumby, whose header drifted a yard wide of the far post.
Both teams remained wary of each other's counter‑attacking threat. Poku forced O'Leary into a spectacular flying save after creating space inside the box and unleashing a shot from twelve yards. On the opposite flank, Mepham's powerful header from a corner compelled Charles into a diving save, while the Baggies' goalkeeper also had to stay alert for a low free‑kick from Styles 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. Late in the game, substitute Jimmy‑Jay Morgan had a golden opportunity to snatch victory for West Brom; his powerful header from a Molumby cross sailed over the far post, missing the chance to clinch all three points. 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 head coach 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." The match, while ending in a draw, highlighted West Brom's resilience at home and QPR's continued ability to secure points away from home. Both managers emphasized the importance of tactical flexibility, defensive solidity, and the impact of individual brilliance in shaping the outcome. The result leaves West Brom still unbeaten on their home turf, while QPR maintains their unbeaten away streak, setting the stage for an intriguing run-in as the Championship season progresses.