West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Crystal Palace
- Published
Injury-time penalty gives West Brom a point
Palace let slip a 2-0 lead
Saido Berahino scores sixth goal in five games
Palace keeper Julian Speroni goes off injured
An injury-time penalty from Saido Berahino completed a West Bromwich Albion comeback and denied Crystal Palace a first win in three games.
Berahino beat substitute goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to score his sixth goal in five matches after Mile Jedinak fouled substitute Victor Anichebe.
Anichebe had headed home six minutes after the break to launch the fightback after Palace led 2-0 at half time.
Brede Hangeland volleyed Palace ahead before Jedinak scored from the spot.
West Brom, beaten at home only once this season, had earlier struggled to build on their impressive performance in drawing 2-2 with Manchester United on Monday night as Palace took control.
Hawthorns hero | |
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Saido Berahino, 21, was West Brom's top scorer last season with nine goals. He now has eight so far this season. |
The lively Yannick Bolasie put an early effort into the side netting and Fraizer Campbell and the returning Maroune Chamakh, who scored twice against West Brom last season, kept the home side on the back foot.
But the game changed when Anichebe pulled a goal back and Palace keeper Julian Speroni went off injured.
Baggies boss Alan Irvine had sent on former Everton striker Anichebe in place of Stephane Sessegnon to offer greater support to England Under-21 international Berahino.
Anichebe's added muscular presence proved key as the Nigeria international headed in Chris Brunt's delivery, Speroni taking a blow to the face from Craig Dawson's arm as the West Brom defender also challenged for the corner.
Speroni, who thought he had been fouled, was keen to stay on after lengthy treatment but new guidelines on head injuries introduced this season by the Premier League mean players can only continue if permitted by a club doctor.
Wales international Hennessey was sent on in his place and although the former Wolves keeper was not at fault, the momentum swung West Brom's way.
Graham Dorrans went close with a long-range effort before Craig Gardner clipped a curling shot against the bar from almost 25 yards.
James Morrison also had a shot blocked by Hangeland, with Berahino putting the follow-up over the bar.
Berahino had struggled to make an impact but when Jedinak brought down Anichebe in stoppage time he stepped up to score from the spot and underline the new-found resilience West Brom are showing under Irvine.
Palace have also been revived under Neil Warnock and, having drawn at Newcastle and won away at Everton since he returned for a second spell at the end of August, again looked a threat, with wide men Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha causing persistent problems for the hosts before the break.
Centre-half Hangeland volleyed Palace ahead after his initial header from a Bolasie corner had been blocked, and Zaha was then unlucky not to get a penalty when he appeared to be tripped by Dawson.
They did get one when Bolasie was fouled by Sebastien Pocognoli for captain Jedinak to double their lead in first-half stoppage time.
But despite seemingly surviving West Brom's best spell of the game after Anichebe's goal, it was not to prove enough of a cushion.
Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock on Craig Dawson's challenge on goalkeeper Julian Speroni: "It's almost an assault. (I don't know) how one of the four officials can't be in a position to see that.
"Dawson had smashed him in the face and I am lost for words. No wonder Julian is a bit groggy. He wanted to carry on.
"I've had enough talking to the FA. I have not seen something like that since Bert Trautmann.
"I can't say anything about the referee or I get fined and I don't want to because I thought he had a cracking game. But he made two or three really bad mistakes."
West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Irvine: "They did see another side to me, one which doesn't come out very often.
"I was bitterly disappointed with the first 32 minutes of the game. We were awful.
"After that we did what we were supposed to be doing and we eventually got a reward for that.
"There's no doubt Victor made a difference. Having watched Palace and looked at their strengths and the way they are able to play I felt Victor would be needed at some point."
- Published24 October 2014
- Published7 June 2019