Relegation-haunted West Brom battled their way to a hard-earned point in a
scrappy match at Loftus Road which means their battle for First Division
survival will go down to the last day of the season.
The Baggies had their fair share of the play but they failed to create enough
chances against a solid five-man Rangers back line.
Their only real chance of the entire game came as early as the fifth minute
when Richard Sneekes won a free-kick on the edge of the Rangers box.
James Quinn slipped the ball to full-back Des Lyttle who stormed past two
defenders to get into the box only to fire high and wide from just six yards
out.
After a slow start Rangers slowly began to take control and they created a
gilt-edged chance on 13 minutes when Richard Langley fed Paul Bruce and his low
cross allowed Gavin Peacock to stoop and head goalwards only for the ball to
clip the post and fly wide with West Brom keeper Brian Jensen stranded.
Stuart Wardley shot wide from 25 yards and Langley hit the first shot on
target for either side on 43 minutes which bobbled straight at Jensen, but
neither side looked capable of breaking the deadlock.
The Baggies had both Daryl Burgess and Jason van Blerk booked for reckless
tackles as Rangers stepped up a gear and they nearly grabbed a half-time lead
when Sammy Koejoe's flick put Langley in the clear only for Matt Carbon to make
a superb saving tackle.
West Brom came out with more purpose in the second half and on 50 minutes they
went close when George Santos headed Quinn's corner just over.
But it turned out to be a false dawn for the Baggies as Rangers resumed
control.
Carbon blocked another Langley shot on 52 minutes while on the hour Jensen
flapped at an Ian Baraclough free-kick to drop the ball at Koejoe's feet only
for the Dutch striker to waste the chance with the goal gaping. Koejoe had the
ball in the net on 66 minutes after he ran on to Chris Kiwomya's flick only for
the ref to rule it out for off side while it was West Brom's turn to protest on
78 minutes when Bob Taylor seemed to be felled in the box by Bruce only for the
ref to wave play on.
Rangers wasted further chances through Wardley and Karl Ready but it was
desperate West Brom who finished the stronger.
Micky Evans and Adam Oliver both went close but it was not to be for West Brom
and the prospect of relegation still looms large.
Teams:
QPR: Harper, Perry, Plummer, Ready, Baraclough,
Bruce (Murray 79), Wardley, Langley, Peacock,
Koejoe (Gallen 75), Kiwomya.
Subs Not Used: Scully, Rowland, Kulcsar.
West Brom: Jensen, Lyttle (J. Chambers 90),
Van Blerk (Evans 58), Santos, Clement, Burgess, Carbon,
Sneekes, Flynn, Quinn (Oliver 73), Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Adamson, Butler.
Booked: Sneekes, Van Blerk, Burgess.
Att: 15,244
Ref: S Mathieson (Stockport).
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