West Brom have now drawn their past three Championship matches
Blackburn Rovers dropped points at Ewood Park for the first time this season as spirited West Bromwich Albion forced them to surrender their 100% winning home record.
In the meeting of sixth against fifth in the Championship, it meant a fifth game without a victory for Albion boss Carlos Corberan.
But this was still very much a point gained for the Baggies against John Eustace's Blackburn, who had won all their previous five home matches.
Albion were marginally the closer of the two sides to breaking the deadlock, as well as keeping their sixth clean sheet in 11 matches.
It extends Albion's worst run since Corberan succeeded Steve Bruce as Baggies boss almost two years ago, having now picked up just three points out of a possible 15.
But this was their most encouraging display in that month-long winless sequence - and lifts them a place to fourth in the Championship table ahead of Saturday's home meeting with Cardiff City, when Corberan will officially complete his two years in charge.
Rovers stay sixth going into their Saturday lunchtime game at faltering Watford, where Hornets old boy Eustace will make a return to Vicarage Road.
- Published2 days ago
- Published2 days ago
Blackburn recalled Yuki Ohashi as they looked to protect their winning home record, while Albion made two changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw at Oxford United.
With Kyle Bartley injured, Corberan was already forced into one alteration, bringing in Paddy McNair for his full Albion league debut, but he also replaced summer signing Uros Racic with Jayson Molumby.
Chances came thick, fast and evenly in the first half.
Todd Cantwell had a 20-yarder saved by Alex Palmer and Joe Rankin-Costello screwed wide of Albion's left post after being sent clear when one-on-one with the Baggies keeper, while Ohashi fired across the face of goal.
But, at the other end, Darnell Furlong, captaining Albion on his 90th consecutive appearance, beat the offside trap before dragging a volley wide.
Torbjorn Heggem's low angled shot skimmed a post after he was played in by top scorer Josh Maja, and McNair almost got on the end of a cross from lively winger Tom Fellows.
Albion had a second-half penalty shout turned down when Furlong theatrically tumbled on the right side of the box after a tangle with Cantwell - a decision made to look even more controversial when he again received a shove in the back five minutes later and this time won a free-kick.
And home keeper Aynsley Pears had to save sharply to his right to defy a fierce dipping right-foot Karlan Grant shot at his near post.
But long before the end it looked destined to end in Albion's third straight draw, of which two now have been goalless.
Blackburn Rovers boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"Overall, a draw was a fair result- and that's a fifth clean sheet in five games too, which is also pleasing
"We came up against one of the top teams in the league and held our own.
"We've done that against more than one top team - and we showed some quality against opposition who are good defensively."
West Bromwich Albion acting captain Darnell Furlong told BBC Radio WM:
“We’ve got to feel like this was two points dropped for us.
“We had the better chances and I should have had a penalty. It was the major talking point in the game.
“How can it be a foul in one part of the pitch and not in the penalty area.”
