Set-piece headers from George Campbell and Nat Phillips earned West Bromwich Albion a 2-1 Championship victory over Queens Park Rangers at The Hawthorns, easing some of the pressure on head coach Ryan Mason after a run of four defeats in five matches.
Ousmane Diakite's own goal had briefly drawn QPR level in the first half, and Kwame Poku clipped the crossbar just after the break in what visiting boss Julien Stephan would later call the turning point of the afternoon. But Phillips' powerful header from Mikey Johnston's free-kick restored Albion's lead, and despite a late push from Rangers, the hosts' renewed set-piece threat and wasteful finishing at the other end ultimately defined a contest they largely controlled.
Albion seize early initiative but Rangers hit back
With sections of the home support anxious after Albion's recent slump, Mason's side began with a clear intent to play on the front foot. They dominated possession and territory in the opening stages, an 'urgent-looking' West Brom fashioning the first chances as Samuel Iling-Junior attempted an ambitious overhead kick from close range and Johnston blazed over at the end of the same move.