West Bromwich Albion managed to claw back a point after falling behind early, ultimately finishing the match level at 1-1 with Queens Park Rangers in a Sky Bet Championship fixture at The Hawthorns. The game unfolded with QPR taking the lead in the 38th minute when a Chris Mepham own‑goal, which came completely contrary to the flow of play, slipped into his own net. The advantage was short‑lived; just three minutes later Callum Styles struck back, restoring parity and extending the Baggies' unbeaten home streak to eleven games, while QPR continued their flawless record on the road this season.
Both sides created a reasonable number of chances, though West Brom arguably enjoyed a marginal edge in the number of opportunities. The match also marked the return to the starting line‑up for former Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer and full‑back Conor Townsend, both of whom were given their first starts since re‑joining the club.
In addition, defender Chris Mepham was handed the captain’s armband for the encounter. The teams entered the match with five changes each from the previous Wednesday's 1-0 victory at Derby County, mirroring the number of alterations made by the visitors. West Brom set the tempo early on, with Rabby Nzingoula firing a wayward effort that glanced off Felix Horn Myhre before veering wide of the far post. In the 34th minute, Isaac Price delivered an inswinging corner that was punched away by QPR goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who managed to keep the ball on the line as the hosts pressed for a breakthrough.
A moment of drama followed when Aune Heggebo rose to meet a cross from Collyer, unleashing a thunderous strike that appeared to strike the crossbar, only for the ball to rebound off the stanchion behind the goal. Shortly thereafter, the unexpected own‑goal occurred: Kwame Poku released Rumarn Burrell down the left flank, and Burrell's run forced QPR keeper Max O'Leary into a diving save.
The rebound ricocheted off Mepham's head and rolled into the unguarded net, giving the visitors a lead that ran counter to the general flow of the match. West Brom responded swiftly.
In the 41st minute, Callum Styles—deployed in an unfamiliar right‑back position—curved a low‑driven 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 putting the home side ahead when his curling free‑kick was tipped away by Charles. Jayson Molumby later nodded a corner taken by Styles just wide of the far post, while the Baggies remained wary of QPR's threat on the counter‑attack. Kwame Poku continued to test the defence, forcing O'Leary into a spectacular flying save after breaking free inside the box and firing from twelve yards.
On the opposite side, Mepham's well‑timed header from a Price corner forced Charles into a diving save. The home side also had to stay alert when Styles earned a low free‑kick after being fouled on the edge of the box; Charles managed to keep the ball out of danger.
QPR's attacking intent persisted, with Burrell's header from a Harvey Vale corner being smothered by O'Leary at the near post. Late in the game, substitute Jimmy‑Jay Morgan had a chance to snatch victory for West Brom, blasting a header over the far post after meeting a Molumby cross, but his effort sailed wide. After the final whistle, 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 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 draw leaves both clubs with valuable points as the Championship season progresses. West Brom maintains a solid home record, while QPR's unbeaten away run continues, setting the stage for an intriguing contest in the weeks to come.