QPR 3 West Brom 1: Dreadful goals conceded as away woes go on with poor defeat

Ryan Mason's side once again failed to build on a victory and succumbed to a desperately poor defeat to their fellow mid-table hosts on an afternoon of low quality with chairman Shilen Patel watching on more travel misery.

Home striker Rumarn Burrell, who is from Great Barr, was the best player on the pitch and netted his eighth and ninth goals of the season with Jonathan Varane also on target as Albion players gift-wrapped the Rs their goals with terribly soft defending.

Aune Heggebo pulled one back with 15 minutes left at 2-0 down but another fightback was barely on the cards after last weekend's effort against Swansea. Pitiful defending once again proved costly as the Baggies continue to slump under Mason, for whom there is little light at the end of the tunnel.

Mason's big call to drop Josh Griffiths for Joe Wildsmith in goal failed to pay off as the stand-in shipped three and was partly to blame, as well as the extremely poor George Campbell, for the hosts' late third.

The visitors gifted QPR the opener to Varane on the stroke of half-time after an even first period desperately low on quality and entertainment.

Skipper Alex Mowatt was caught on the ball on the edge of his own box - much like the Ipswich winner at Portman Road in October - for the Rs' second to all-but confirm the points.

Faint hopes of Albion recording back-to-back league wins for the first time since mid-August ebbed away with each dreadful goal conceded. The momentum Mason craved is non-existent as the Baggies slip back down to 16th in the Championship, with the season seemingly headed nowhere.

Mason made the four changes most hoped for and expected as the quartet who helped change the game at half-time against Swansea were given the nod from the off.

Krystian Bielik, Campbell, Josh Maja and Karlan Grant deputised for the suspended Nat Phillips, Alfie Gilchrist, Isaac Price and Samuel Iling-Junior.

But the head coach surprised many with his other change - the decision to drop goalkeeper Josh Griffiths for the first time in the Championship this season in favour of Wildsmith for his first league minutes this term.

Wildsmith was barely for most of the opening exchanges. He showed solid handling but a poor pass from Campbell, not his only in the first half, meant a rushed clearance scooped over the Stanley Bowles Stand.

It typified the scrappiest of first halves with precious little to write home about. The Rs edged the first 15 or 20 minutes as Varane blazed over from range but the sides cancelled each other out in a battling and at times bruising contest.

Albion efforts fell to Maja, from a Van Bastan-esque narrow angle on the volley from Alex Mowatt's pass, which flew well over. Jayson Molumby's volleyed effort with goalkeeper Paul Nardi well out of his goal left a bit to be desired.

There were small encouraging signs of Maja and Heggebo - starting together for the first time - combining well. Mason's side could not get Mikey Johnston involved on the right and Grant struggled to get going on the left.

A dire first half spectacle was drifting aimlessly to half-time, through six added minutes due to several stoppages, when the hosts broke the deadlock.

Nicolas Madsen was afforded far too much time on the right flank to measure a cross with Heggebo in closest proximity near his left-back position.

Nobody tracked the run of Varane and the Frenchman ghosted between Chris Mepham and Bielik to head towards the bottom right corner with Wildsmith given little chance.

The opener, four minutes into stoppages, finally sparked Albion as they hit back with a first effort on target before a belated half-time whistle as Campbell's header was kept out by Nardi's strong right hand.

Mason needed another second-half turnaround but this time opted against personnel changes - albeit did swap Johnston to the left for Grant.

The second period was delayed due to a medical incident in the crowd, with a home fan wheelchaired away, before the Rs doubled their lead just before the hour.

Another sloppy and costly goal was gifted from the all too presentable Albion.

Playing between themselves in the defensive third, Mepham passed to Callum Styles who looked for Mowatt. The captain was closed down and lost it just inside his own box and Burrell pounced to send a cool finish across Wildsmith and into the corner.

It knocked the wind out of Baggies sails but Mason's men should have pulled one back in a 30 seconds that captured the whole season.

The Rs defence parts and left-back Styles is allowed a run on goal. His low strike is saved by Nardi and the French keeper is somehow able to clutch on to Campbell's rebound. It was so wasteful and backs up Mason's impression of having to work so hard to score.

Thirty seconds later, from Nardi's long kick, the ball bounced over the away backline and Wildsmith and Mepham left the ball for one another, allowing Burrell to pounce and round the stranded keeper. Burrell lifted over the unguarded net, surprisingly, from 18 yards. It should have been game over. 

QPR wondered if they would live to regret the miss as Heggebo pulled one back with 16 minutes left.

Again it was a slim chance at best but a simple wonderful header. He was second-favourite from Styles' cross from the left but muscled his defender out the way to loop a header up and over Nardi towards the far post. It dropped in off the post.

Albion sensed another towards the away end as Molumby snatched at one and Heggebo sent a similar header - if not an easier one - over from Johnston's cross.

Bielik nodded a difficult header into Nardi's grateful grasp.

Albion hopes were dashed as Burrell netted a soft second for his side's third in the closing stages. Campbell was poor throughout and lost it weakly to Kone on the touchline.

The attacker reached the byline and his low cross was insufficiently cleared by Wildsmith's arm after the keeper got down low and Burrell was there to tap home.

It capped another poor Baggies defeat as members of the Bilkul ownership watch on.

QPR (4-2-3-1): Nardi; Mbengue, Dunne (c), Clarke-Salter, Norrington-Davies; Madsen, Varane; Saito, Kone (Frey, 90+2), Chair (Dembele, 45+7); Burrell.

Subs not used: Walsh, Morrison, Cook, Smyth, Hayden, Poku, Morgan

Albion (4-2-3-1): Wildsmith; Campbell, Bielik, Mepham, Styles; Mowatt, Molumby; Johnston, Maja (Price, 64), Grant (Bany, 90+3); Heggebo.

Subs not used: Griffiths, Taylor, Gilchrist, Diakite, Bostock, Iling-Junior, Dike.

Referee: Gavin Ward