West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Cardiff City: Baggies remain winless after Hawthorns draw
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Albion striker Karlan Grant (centre) was unable to add to his early-season tally of two goals
West Bromwich Albion are still searching for their first Championship win of the season after being held to a goalless draw at home to Cardiff City.
Both sides had chances in an open first half, in which captain Jake Livermore forced Ryan Allsop into a save and Sheyi Ojo fired narrowly wide for Cardiff.
Genuine scoring opportunities were at a premium after the break, until Allsop palmed away a 90th-minute header from Semi Ajayi.
While the Baggies remain winless in the Championship, a draw was just reward for another encouraging performance from Steve Morison's improving Cardiff, who now have seven points from four games.
Their opponents at The Hawthorns were among the pre-season favourites for promotion but had started slowly with two draws and a defeat in their opening three league matches.
On this occasion, however, Steve Bruce's men burst out of the blocks and took control of the early exchanges.
Helped by a hesitant Cardiff side who kept losing possession as they tried to play their way out of defence, the Baggies pressed their opponents high up the pitch and created chances for Livermore and Conor Townsend.
Cardiff settled as the first half wore on, with Ojo counter-attacking well and drawing fouls by Dara O'Shea and Livermore which resulted in yellow cards.
After Ojo himself was bizarrely booked after being robustly tackled by Livermore, the former Liverpool winger had the visitors' best chance of the half, side-footing narrowly wide after he was teed up inside the penalty area by Jaden Philogene.
Ojo curled another effort wide after the break as Cardiff grew in confidence. Callum O'Dowda, on for Jamilu Collins after the Nigerian's fifth-minute knee injury, was particularly impressive at left-back.
Albion struggled to recreate the intensity of their first-half showing, but Ajayi provided a reminder of the hosts' set-piece threat when his header from a 70th-minute corner was held by Allsop.
The centre-back had an even better chance in the final minute when he met a cross by Callum Robinson, but Allsop pushed his header away to secure a well-earned point for Cardiff.
Who's next?
West Brom are back at The Hawthorns on Saturday when they host one of Bruce's former clubs Hull City, while Cardiff return to action the following day with the noon derby cross-border trip to Bristol City.
West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce told BBC Radio WM:
"After some really good performances against Watford and then Blackburn, unfortunately, that one was completely different.
"We haven't got beaten, but we certainly haven't done enough to win it. I have to be as honest as that.
"We simply didn't play well enough, certainly at the front end of the pitch. We didn't have any real creativity. We made the wrong decisions. We're short, but we still have two and a half weeks to go. We'll see what becomes available."
Cardiff City manager Steve Morison told BBC Radio Wales:
"It's a great point. This is a tough place to come.
"We had to deal with pressure in the first 20 minutes and, off the back of that, it was a pretty even game. It shows how far we've come.
"To come away from West Brom with a point, you'd be pleased. A draw was about a fair result."