West Bromwich Albion managed to claw back a point after falling behind early, finishing the match level at 1-1 with Queens Park Rangers in a Sky Bet Championship fixture at The Hawthorns. The game unfolded with a dramatic twist when Chris Mepham inadvertently turned his own effort into a goal for QPR in the 38th minute, a moment that came completely contrary to the flow of play.
However, the advantage was short‑lived; just three minutes later, Callum Styles restored parity, extending the Baggies' unbeaten run at home to eleven matches, while the visitors remained unbeaten on the road this season. Both sides created a respectable number of opportunities, though West Brom enjoyed a slight edge in the number of chances generated. The match also marked the first start for former Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer and full‑back Conor Townsend since they rejoined the club, while defender Chris Mepham captained the QPR side.
The line‑up featured three of five changes from the previous Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Derby County, mirroring the number of alterations made by the visitors. Early on, Albion pressed forward, and a wayward strike from Rabby Nzingoula clipped the foot of Felix Horn Myhre, diverting the ball towards goal before it sailed wide of the post.
Isaac Price delivered an inswinging corner that was promptly punched away by QPR goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who was positioned on the line as the home side continued to hunt for a breakthrough. In the 34th minute, Aune Heggebo met a cross from Collyer with a powerful, rising effort that appeared to strike the crossbar, but the ball actually hit the stanchion behind the goal, denying a potential lead for West Brom. The unexpected turn came when Kwame Poku sent Rumarn Burrell on a blistering run. Burrell out‑muscled his marker, forcing QPR keeper Max O'Leary into a diving save.
The rebound fell to Mepham, whose headed clearance ricocheted off his own head and bounced into the unguarded net, giving QPR a surprising lead against the run of play. Only a minute later, 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, securing his second goal of the season and leveling the score for the home side. After the restart, Price came close to giving Albion the lead for the first time.
His curling free‑kick was tipped away by Charles, while Jayson Molumby headed a corner taken by Styles just a yard wide of the far post. Both teams remained wary of each other's counter‑attacking threat. Poku forced O'Leary into a crucial flying save after finding space inside the box and shooting from twelve yards out.
On the opposite end, Mepham's headed clearance forced Charles into a diving save from a subsequent Price corner. Charles also had to stay alert when Styles earned a free‑kick just outside the box after being fouled; the full‑back's low delivery required a sharp reaction from the keeper.
Rangers continued to test the defense when Burrell's header from a Harvey Vale corner was smothered by O'Leary at the foot of the post. In the dying moments, substitute Jimmy‑Jay Morgan had a chance to clinch the win for West Brom.
He rose above the defense to head down a cross from Molumby, but his effort sailed over the far post, leaving the scoreline unchanged. After the 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 (right midfielder). I thought they dealt with it really well." QPR 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 encounter showcased both teams' resilience: West Brom's ability to bounce back from an own‑goal and QPR's disciplined defensive shape that kept them unbeaten on the road. The draw leaves both clubs with valuable points as the Championship race intensifies, and fans can look forward to further tactical battles as the season progresses.