QPR 1 West Brom 3: Report - Josh Maja treble gives Albion perfect start

After a summer of uncertainty and change with players coming and going - a perfect start would have been the perfect tonic at Loftus Road.

But Lucas Anderson put the R's ahead to silence the travelling Baggies - before the Maja show began.

He cancelled out the opener with a first half leveller, before to further strikes in 15 second half minutes secured a superb opening day victory for Albion.

Report

Corberan opted to throw in one of his new recruits from the start, as Torbjorn Heggem was handed his full debut, with Ousmane Diakete, Gianluca Frabotta, Devnate Cole and Lewis Dobbin all named on the bench alongside Joe Wildsmith.

And the rest of the substitutes were made up of three young Albion players - outlining the need for further recruits before the end of the window.

Both sides had early spells of possession before the first chance of the game produced the first goal on 18 minutes.

Rayan Kolli was given far too much time to pick out a teasing cross - with Lucas Anderson running off Alex Mowatt to head home past Alex Palmer.

Albion almost hit back immediately on the break with Karlan Grant's strike deflecting wide, before they did level it up just ten minutes later.

Heggem took the chance to drive forward down the left and hung up an inviting cross for Maja, who got just enough on his header for it to beat Paul Nardi's outstretched right hand.

It was what Albion deserved for a decent first half display and they applied further pressure towards the end of the half, with Tom Fellows volleying over from another Grant cross.

Fellows had endured a tough first period, with the Hoops marking him tight and not giving him any room.

However, just six minutes into the second period he was presented with time and space for the first time, and he took full advantage.

Fellows dropped his trademark step over to leave Kenneth Paal standing, before hanging up a cross for Maja to attack and power home a header.

The forward, who suffered injury woes throughout last season, had started his season with a bang.

A slip in possession almost allowed QPR straight back into the game, but Anderson dragged a shot wide.

The goal prompted a spell of pressure from the home side - with Albion having to deal with a string of corners and balls into the box.

They did just that and 25 minutes from time two of their key man combined yet again for a third.

Fellows beat his man and saw his cross deflect off a defender and into the path of an unmarked Maja, who couldn't believe his fortune as he hooked in his third.

Albion went hunting a fourth as Grant saw a volley saved from close range - but it was the Hoops who came on strong late on as Paal drove forward and fired just wide from distance.

As expected Albion came under later pressure and QPR should have pulled one back but Michael Frey produced an air kick from five yards out.

They then dug in and saw the game out for a much deserved three points in the capital.

Teams

QPR (4-2-3-1): Nardi, Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Colback (Varane 71), Field, Smyth (Bonnie 85), Anderson, Kolli (Lloyd 57), Celar (Frey 71)

Subs not used: Walsh, Morrison, Santos, Dixon-Bonner, Benni, Dykes

Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer, Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Heggem (Frabotta 85), Molumby (Diakite 76), Mowatt, Fellows (Dobbin 80), Swift, Grant, Maja (Cole 76)

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Taylor, Frabotta, Heard, Faal, Hall