West Brom 0-1 QPR: Report

15 January 2013 22:31
West Brom 0-1 QPR: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.


Bothroyd sends QPR through

QPR put their relegation worries to one side as Jay Bothroyd's second-half goal earned them a 1-0 victory over West Brom in an FA Cup third-round replay at The Hawthorns.

Bothroyd, back from a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, settled the tie when he headed home a corner from Alejandro Faurlin.

But he was denied the chance of a reunion with the Owls as they were beaten by MK Dons, who will now visit Loftus Road in the fourth round.

It was another encouraging result for Harry Redknapp's side after collecting four points from their previous two Barclays Premier League with Chelsea and Tottenham.

They also celebrated their first win against Premier League opposition in the competition for 18 years.

Bothroyd was a constant threat but Rangers were indebted to several fine saves from goalkeeper Robert Green for securing their place in the last 32.

West Brom's slump in fortunes continued and they have now won only two of their last 11 matches in all competitions and their season is in danger of fizzling out.

James Morrison tried in vain to unlock the QPR defence while centre-back Gareth McAuley had to make several crucial challenges to halt QPR on the counter-attack.

QPR, showing six changes from the side which drew with Tottenham at the weekend, were the first to threaten with Bothroyd having a shot deflected wide.

West Brom's on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku then teed up an early opportunity for the overlapping Jerome Thomas inside the box but the winger surprisingly elected not to shoot when in a dangerous position and his cross was easily dealt with.

Visiting defender Tal Ben Haim became the first player to be booked after 18 minutes for bringing down Lukaku.

Albion midfielder Graham Dorrans, who has been told he can leave the club during the current transfer window, saw his free-kick blocked by the defensive wall.

There was little in the way of clear-cut chances during the opening quarter at a less-than-half-full Hawthorns.

Green made a fine save to keep his side on level terms after 29 minutes.

Lukaku got on the end of Goran Popov's probing centre and his glancing header was turned away at full stretch by Green to his left.

The game started to come to life and Boaz Myhill parried away Bothroyd's 25-yard drive.

Thomas was seeing plenty of the ball and another surge into the QPR box forced Green to parry away his cross.

Redknapp brought on Shaun-Wright Phillips for the ineffective Djibril Cisse at the start of the second half.

Thomas was yellow-carded after 51 minutes for a challenge on Jamie Mackie.

QPR were showing more purpose and Gabriel Tamas blocked a powerful attempt from Alejandro Faurlin. Myhill then had to adjust to keep out a deflected drive from Wright-Phillips.

Green also reacted sharply to cling onto Lukaku's low shot after his run to the edge of the QPR area.

Home striker Peter Odemwingie, a transfer target for Redknapp, replaced Thomas with 18 minutes left but it was Bothroyd who broke the deadlock three minutes later.

He got plenty of power into his downward header from Faurlin's corner and Myhill could only help the ball into the corner of the net.

Albion tried to rescue the tie and Green again excelled in twice beating out powerful shots from the previously ineffective Markus Rosenberg.

The Sweden international showed his frustration in being booked for a challenge on Mackie.

With time running out, Green denied Dorrans as Albion could not force the game into extra-time.

Source: DSG