Sky Bet EFL Championship
Saturday 8 November 2025
The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
West Bromwich Albion… 2
(Leigh OG 56’, Heggebo 70’)
Oxford United… 1
(Lankshear 54’)
West Bromwich Albion came from behind to defeat Oxford United 2-1 at The Hawthorns.
Will Lankshear put United into the lead, however, an own goal from Greg Leigh and a header from Aune Heggebo gave the hosts the three points.
Gary Rowett made two changes from the side which lost against Stoke City on Tuesday night, with Filip Krastev and Nik Prelec in from the start.
First chance of the game feel to the hosts after 18 minutes. Przemyslaw Placheta failed to clear the cross and Mickey Johnston had the chance to get a shot on goal from a tight angle, which was easily held by Jamie Cumming.
Placheta went straight up the other end and had United’s first shot of the game, steering an effort into the side netting from the edge of the box.
Cameron Brannagan has been having an outstanding season in front of goal, and he tried his luck once again from 30 yards following his recent extraordinary efforts. This time, with the ball bouncing towards the bottom corner the goalkeeper managed to palm it wide.
Will Lankshear had a strong appeal for a penalty five minutes before the end of the half, as he was wrestled to the floor by Nat Phillips. The referee waved away the protests to extend Oxford United’s wait for a penalty to 549 days.
Nothing to separate the teams in the first period, but United did take the lead nine minutes into the second. Placheta was the creator, using every bit of his speed to burst down the right wing and get a low ball into the box. Nik Prelec left it at the front post for his strike partner Lankshear, who had the easy task of passing the ball into an empty net.
However, the hosts did level almost instantly. Bursting down the left, Callum Styles managed to get a low ball into the box which unfortunately bounced off Greg Leigh and into the net.
West Brom then took the lead on the 70th minute from Norwegian striker Aune Heggebo. A cross in from the right wasn’t dealt with as the striker got ahead on the front post and flicked the ball beyond Cumming with his head.
United pushed forward to find the equaliser and Brannagan almost found it with another ripping drive from 30 yards which the keeper managed to steer wide.
Two minutes later and Brannagan done it again, this time the keeper had to palm the ball away from the top left corner.
Despite the late efforts, it ended in defeat, with the November international break now ahead and a good chance to regroup.
West Bromwich Albion: Griffiths, Phillips, Styles, Maja (Heggebo 62’), Grant (Illing-Junior 78’), Gilchrist (Bielik 87’), Diakite (Molumby 62’), Price, Mowatt, Taylor, Johnston (Collyer 87’)
Subs: Wildsmith, Mepham, Bielik, Dike, Collyer, Bany
Oxford United: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Leigh (90+1’), Brannagan, De Keersmaecker (Dembele 78’), Placheta (L. Harris 71’), Krastev (Mills 78’), Prelec (Vaulks 71’), Lankshear
Subs: Ingram, M. Harris, Romeny, Davies