Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, West Bromwich Albion 2.
Outstanding finishes from Mikey Johnston and Grady Diangana helped West Bromwich Albion secure a controversial draw at Queens Park Rangers on an emotional night at Loftus Road.
After paying tribute to the club's former great Stan Bowles before kick-off, the Rs took the lead in their first home game since the death of the ex-England striker when former Baggies midfielder Sam Field tucked home following a handling error from goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
But Albion turned the game around in the space of two minutes as Johnston's sensational strike brought them level before Diangana's classy finish put them in front at half-time.
Palmer then saved Michael Frey's poor penalty before he feathered Field's header on to the arm of the covering Cedric Kipre, who pushed the ball over the bar from close range.
None of the officials seemed to realise what had happened with no action taken, other than awarding QPR a corner.
Frey had a goal disallowed for offside as the Rs piled forward and got their reward nine minutes from time when Field grabbed his second after a scramble following a corner.
QPR almost stole it when Steve Cook's goal-bound overhead kick was nodded over from under his own bar by Darnell Furlong, but the point takes them one point clear of the relegation zone while the Baggies stay fifth, 10 points behind Southampton, whose home game against Preston was called off because of a fire near their ground.
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes had wanted his side to play with the panache befitting their former playmaker Bowles, who died last month aged 75.
After a cagey opening few minutes the home side sparked into life when Ilias Chair's deflected cross shot from a tight angle was turned away at his near post by Palmer.
QPR's energy was rewarded with the opening goal in the 17th minute when Chair seized on a poor Albion clearance to fire at Palmer from 25 yards. Palmer could only parry it away and when the ball was turned back in by Lucas Andersen, Field gleefully steered the ball home from eight yards.
Despite being second best for much of the first quarter of the game, West Brom found themselves level thanks to another sensational finish from Johnston.
Receiving the ball on the left, the Celtic loanee cut inside past three Rs players and unleashed an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box into the top right-hand corner via the post.
It was his fourth goal in six appearances and was another one for his scrapbook to go with similar strikes against Coventry City and Plymouth.
Before QPR had time to clear their heads, they were behind. Another trademark step-over from right-back Tom Fellows gave him an extra yard to drive to the byline and drill a cut-back that Diangana cushioned with his first touch and then smashed past Asmir Begovic from 10 yards with his second.
After Frey headed Chair's inviting cross over from six yards just before half-time, QPR maintained their momentum after the break and had the chance to level when Andersen's cross struck the elbow of Adam Reach in the penalty area, only for Palmer to save Frey's meek effort from the spot.
Moments later, Field's header was shovelled over by Kipre's arm, unnoticed.
But the hosts' persistence never wavered and, from their 17th corner, they levelled it as Field stooped to head in from six yards after Steve Cook's nod-back from Chris Willock's deep cross found its way to him via the crossbar.
Cook almost brilliantly won it but his acrobatic effort from 12 yards that looped beyond Palmer was cleared off the line by a scrambling Furlong.
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes:
"I've been told that West Brom played with two keepers for a while.
"I'm not here to complain. I'm here to make sure my team is better, so if we need to play against two keepers then we need to practice playing against two keepers.
"Football is a game with mistakes and unfortunately refs can make mistakes as well. They have a very difficult job - the second most difficult job, after being a manager.
"On the pitch I thought their keeper made an amazing save - I mean the real keeper. That shows you how difficult the referee's job is. I was shown it (on video) afterwards."
West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM:
"We know they are fighting to stay in the Championship and the quality that they have. When you face teams like that you need an extra-strong mentality.
"I think the game was balanced in the first half but we lost control of the game in the second half.
"I didn't see the Kipre moment - hopefully the decision of the referee has been the fair one because that's what I want.
"They forced a lot of corners and were attacking a lot and creating a lot of chances to score.
"The players put a lot of effort in and today was a real battle."
Line-ups
QPR
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Begovic
- 3Dunne
- 5S Cook
- 6Clarke-SalterSubstituted forFoxat 80'minutes
- 22PaalSubstituted forDykesat 80'minutes
- 14HaydenSubstituted forHodgeat 60'minutes
- 8Field
- 11Smyth
- 25AndersenSubstituted forWillockat 71'minutes
- 10Chair
- 12Frey
Substitutes
- 7Willock
- 9Dykes
- 15Fox
- 16Hodge
- 19Dixon-Bonner
- 20Cannon
- 21Larkeche
- 30Armstrong
- 32Walsh
West Brom
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24PalmerBooked at 55mins
- 2Furlong
- 4Kipré
- 15Pieters
- 20ReachSubstituted forÁvila Gordónat 60'minutes
- 35YokusluSubstituted forChalobahat 78'minutes
- 27Mowatt
- 31FellowsSubstituted forAjayiat 54'minutes
- 11DianganaSubstituted forSwiftat 79'minutes
- 23JohnstonSubstituted forWeimannat 78'minutes
- 7J Wallace
Substitutes
- 6Ajayi
- 14Chalobah
- 17Weimann
- 19Swift
- 22M'Vila
- 25Marshall
- 26Ávila Gordón
- 32Malcolm
- 33Griffiths
- Referee:
- Geoff Eltringham
- Attendance:
- 16,818
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away2
- Corners
- Home19
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, West Bromwich Albion 2.
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Foul by Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion).
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Chris Willock (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Morgan Fox.
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Attempt blocked. Jed Wallace (West Bromwich Albion) header from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by John Swift with a cross.
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Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Sam Field.
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Foul by Michael Frey (Queens Park Rangers).
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Erik Pieters (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Paul Smyth.
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Foul by Sam Field (Queens Park Rangers).
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Jed Wallace (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers).
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Andreas Weimann (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Darnell Furlong.
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Attempt blocked. Steve Cook (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Andreas Weimann.
Goal!
Goal! Queens Park Rangers 2, West Bromwich Albion 2. Sam Field (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner following a corner.
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Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) hits the bar with a header from very close range. Assisted by Steve Cook with a headed pass following a corner.
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Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Erik Pieters.
Comments
Join the conversation
Good luck to QPR for the rest of the season.
However WBA held shape & Furlong ex-QPR always respected did a brilliant headed clearance. Definite sending off for WBA as defender handball but unseen by officials due to angles. Fantastic strike by Johnstone. WBA old boy double was fully deserved.
Nice atmosphere by both sets of fans & remembering Stan Bowles.
All the best for WBA for the playoffs.
What an unbelievable save to tip that one over the bar! It looked a certain QPR goal all the way.