West Bromwich Albion vs Blackburn Rovers. Sky Bet Championship.
The HawthornsAttendance21,840.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers at The Hawthorns as a late Ben Brereton Diaz free-kick earned a point for the away side.
Wednesday 15 February 2023 23:26, UK
Ben Brereton Diaz scored a late equaliser to cancel out Jayson Molumby's opener as West Brom's six-match winning home league run was ended by a 1-1 Championship draw by play-off rivals Blackburn.
Molumby came off the bench to nod his team in front in the 73rd minute and, although that looked to be enough for maximum points, Brereton Diaz converted a free-kick at the death to ensure Rovers left The Hawthorns with a point.
Debutant goalkeeper Josh Griffiths was called into action within minutes of the game starting. West Brom failed to deal with Brereton Diaz as he bundled his way into the area and - although he managed to get his shot away - Griffiths was equal to it and tipped it over the crossbar.
That was perhaps an early sign for the hosts, who had won their last seven home matches in all competitions without conceding a goal prior to this, to learn that they were not going to have everything their own way.
Albion did settle quickly after that opening exchange, though. They threatened in the wide areas with a series of low, dangerous crosses from Jed Wallace and John Swift, but the Rovers defence proved to be resolute.
Darnell Furlong came closest in the first half for the Baggies when he met Swift's corner, but goalkeeper Aynsley Pears was equal to his effort.
The tenacious Brandon Thomas-Asante proved to be too hot to handle for the Blackburn defence. His perseverance and hooked ball back into the danger area provided an opportunity for Swift, who scissor-kicked his shot just over the crossbar.
Thomas-Asante himself was then gifted an opening by the casual Bradley Dack, but he, like Swift, could not keep his shot down.
West Brom were forced into an early second-half change when Nathaniel Chalobah, who was making his full debut here and who impressed during his 52 minutes, was forced off after receiving treatment.
That led to the introduction of Molumby, who had started every league game since the return to action following the World Cup.
He immediately went close when he crashed a shot against Pears' post. Blackburn, though, looked comfortable and grew into the second half.
Again Brereton Diaz tested the palms of Griffiths, but their best opportunity came when West Brom did not clear their lines after a Sorba Thomas free-kick.
Erik Pieters and Conor Townsend put in important blocks for the home side, before Dolan fired a third effort over the bar.
Albion would take advantage of remaining on terms. Furlong's cross from the right was headed at goal by Okay Yokuslu, and Pears could only palm it to Molumby, who nodded in the rebound.
West Brom's game management would come into question, then, and for the most part they were diligent - until the final minute.
A costly error saw Molumby surrender possession and Dolan earned a foul on the edge of the box.
Brereton Diaz, who had been out of form, stepped up and fired the resulting free-kick beyond the wall and into the net, beyond Griffiths who met it with his palm.
Both teams remain very much in the play-off mix, but for the time being without a position in the top six, after this stalemate.
West Brom's Carlos Corberan:
"It's clear that we lost two points and only won one. We were very close - after we scored the first goal we were closer to the second than they were to their first. Only one action of bad game management would cost us a goal - it was exactly this. It's truly frustrating, we had to manage this action a different way.
"I think the game management until the last minute was excellent. Excellent, because every moment the team was deep, the team kept insisting to go. We were looking for the second goal and this is what I want to see from my team. We did it like this."
Blackburn's Jon Dahl Tomasson:
"After the circumstances and being behind, in the 89th minute of course it is brilliant to score. We all knew West Brom's home record has been excellent in the last period, it was a tough task for my players. I asked them to be brave and I thought they were extremely brave on the ball.
"I think we defended extremely well and we could also have won it! It was a big, big effort for the boys. Great to see that they were believing that they could come back. It was great."
