QPR 1 West Brom 1: Kieron Dyer makes mark as Rs struggle to keep Ryan Nelsen

Kieron Dyer, the injury-prone midfielder who has only played 33 Premier League matches since August 2007, popped up with a not-so-dramatic last-minute equaliser for QPR — his first goal since May 2007.

Shane Long had given West Brom the lead with 11 minutes remaining.

The way in which the match had been played for the previous 78 minutes gave no reason to think an Rs comeback would materialise.

But a routine long ball found overlapping full-back Dyer, who fired home confidently.

The sparse crowd, all 8,984 of them, didn’t know whether to laugh, celebrate or cry at the thought of the replay in the Midlands on a cold Wednesday evening.

QPR boss Harry Redknapp was pleased to see none of his first-team players pick up injuries before next week’s game against Tottenham in the Premier League, but he did have some potentially damaging news regarding the future of centre-back Ryan Nelsen.

The Kiwi has been the shining light during a dark season for the Rs, but he looks set to leave to take up a managerial role in Canada with Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.

“He has been offered a job in America and there is every chance he will go,” Redknapp said.

“We are trying to make him hold off until the end of the season.”