KARLAN GRANT SCORED twice – with Ireland international Callum Robinson providing the assists – as West Brom came from behind to beat QPR 2-1 and go top of the Sky Bet Championship at The Hawthorns.
But West Brom were gifted a route back into the game after a mistake by goalkeeper Seny Dieng led to the equaliser.
Dieng allowed a shot to his near post from Grant to squirm from his grasp and into the net for Albion’s equaliser in the 75th minute, cancelling out Andre Gray’s opener after just 43 seconds.
Grant then scored the winner in the 88th minute.
Up until the equaliser, it looked like it was going to be a hard-luck story for West Brom, who dominated territorially and created numerous chances without having the decisive touch in front of goal.
Rangers took the early lead when a through-ball by Moses Odubajo down the right caught the Albion defence napping, putting Gray clean through before he took a touch and slotted past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
Kyle Bartley played Gray, born in nearby Wolverhampton and making his 250th league start, onside while Johnstone was also at fault after initially coming for the ball then retreating.
Albion sought a swift reply but they were restricted to long-range efforts as Grady Diangana drove wide and Grant fired straight at goalkeeper Dieng, who also easily held Darnell Furlong’s chip.
Furlong sliced well over as Albion struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organised visiting side.
West Brom thought they were level in the 35th minute. Former QPR winger Matt Phillips crossed and Adam Reach steamed in for a powerful header that was blocked by Dieng on the line.
Another header, this time by Furlong, looped over after Grant got wide to cross from the left before Albion were booed off at half-time.
QPR created the first chance of the second half when Odubajo’s rising drive was flicked away by Johnstone.
West Brom tried to hit back but Jordan Hugill’s header from 12 yards was high and wide from Reach’s centre.
They had better fortune 15 minutes from time. Grant’s angled shot seemed a routine effort but the ball somehow escaped the grasp of Dieng and rolled agonisingly behind him into the net.
Grant then fired left-footed across Dieng after a lovely four-pass first-time move which saw Hugill backheel the ball to substitutes Robinson, who fed the £15million striker.
Robinson came off the bench in the 53rd minute for an impressive cameo, with Jayson Molumby also among the Baggies’ subs. Jimmy Dunne played the full game for QPR.
Meanwhile, there was joy for Coventry’s Irish contingent as they move up to second with a 3-0 win over Peterborough, a quickfire Viktor Gyokeres brace sending them on their way
The Swedish striker scored twice in three minutes soon after Gustavo Hamer’s opener to blow away Darren Ferguson’s Posh, who remain one place outside the bottom three.
The Sky Blues, who came into the clash off the back of a 1-1 draw against Millwall last weekend, made two changes as Jamie Allen and Martyn Waghorn returned to the starting line-up in place of Ben Sheaf and Matt Godden.
Irish midfielder Jack Taylor started for Peterborough, with Conor Coventry sprung from the bench and Sammie Szmodics held in reserve.
The visitors opted for an unchanged line-up following their resounding 3-0 defeat of Birmingham last time out and started resolutely, teenage defender Ronnie Edwards repeatedly stifling Coventry’s typically intense start as they peppered the Posh penalty area.
It was Brazilian midfielder Hamer who could have opened the scoring twice in the first half with an effort from outside the box and a free-kick he whipped over the top of David Cornell’s goal, whilst Callum O’Hare would surely have scored if he got a touch to Todd Kane’s cross.
Mark Robins’ side, fourth before the start of play, started the second half superbly when Gyokeres twisted and turned past Dan Butler but scuffed his shot wide of the left-hand post.
The home side continued to create chances, former Brighton man Gyokeres forcing a goal line clearance from the Peterborough defence after Dom Hyam’s knock-down.
Posh’s resistance was finally broken after 57 minutes, though. Hamer found himself in the right place at the right time to tuck home his first goal since January after a plethora of shots on the Posh goal.
Gyokeres joined the action just after the hour mark when he was the beneficiary of another one of Kane’s crosses.
Hamer started the move, shifting the ball to the right for the former Chelsea man to whip a ball into the six-yard box where Gyokeres was waiting to tap home.
The 23-year-old completed the eight-minute rout three minutes later after another mazy run inside the box, his deflected shot looping over the helpless Cornell and into the back of the net.
Peterborough’s best chance came as the clock hit 90 minutes, Simon Moore thwarting Harrison Burrows with his legs as the substitute ran through on goal.
It was a thoroughly deserved win for the Sky Blues who amassed 16 shots on the way to keeping up their 100% home record and keeping them flying high near the Championship summit.
Bernard Jackman, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey look ahead to the inaugural United Rugby Championship, and a massive weekend for Ireland in their bid to qualify for the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
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