West Bromwich Albion vs Derby County. Sky Bet Championship.
The HawthornsAttendance21,636.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between West Bromwich Albion and Derby County at The Hawthorns as Wayne Rooney's Rams battled for an unlikely draw against the Baggies on Tuesday night
Tuesday 14 September 2021 23:19, UK
Derby somehow emerged with a point after denying dominant West Brom in a 0-0 draw at The Hawthorns.
Sky Bet Championship leaders West Brom dominated proceedings and really should have buried Wayne Rooney's side after missing numerous chances and forcing several saves from goalkeeper Kelle Roos.
It was Roos who preserved Derby's clean sheet at the death when he blocked Darnell Furlong's diving header.
Albion initially went desperately close to taking a ninth-minute lead from a slick short corner routine.
Seyi Ajayi's shot was hacked off the line by former Albion centre-back Curtis Davies after Alex Mowatt found Grady Diangana, got the return and crossed for Karlan Grant to slice his shot to Ajayi.
Diangana's volley was deflected wide after Furlong headed back Mowatt's deep cross before Mowatt's corner was punched away by goalkeeper Roos, who appeared to be targeted by the home side from their corners.
Furlong was in the thick of things and his header was deflected over the bar from Callum Robinson's cross before his curling free-kick was pushed away by Roos diving to his left.
Robinson had Roos stretching to hold a hooked shot from Adam Reach's cross as Albion continued to push for the opening goal.
In an effort to break the deadlock, Albion head coach Valerien Ismael made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Jordan Hugill and Matt Phillips for Grant and Robinson.
Hugill had the first opening following the restart when his rising, angled drive sailed high and wide.
Reach then created headed half-chances for Ajayi and Furlong but both efforts floated off target.
Albion missed two excellent opportunities in the 58th minute. Diangana fired too close to Roos from a one-on-one then Furlong chipped over from the rebound.
The pressure from the home side was relentless and Phillips, sliding in, failed to turn in Diangana's cross at the far post before Roos stuck out his right leg to block Phillips's side-footed effort from just inside the box.
Roos denied West Brom what appeared to be a certain goal in the second minute of time added on when he blocked Furlong's diving header from Phillips's cross.
West Brom's Valerien Ismael: "Now it's a clear trend against us. After five games you have a clear picture of West Brom and after the international break the opponent doesn't want to play football against us. They had one point before the game and they didn't want to take any risks. It's clear something is going on against us and we need to adapt to it more.
"We put in the intensity and the energy to change the game. We had so many chances - 26 shots, nine on target and we didn't concede any shots, so we have to score. We saw that in the second half when we had chances cleared off the line, but we have to make sure we put the ball over the line."
Derby's Wayne Rooney: "Their style of football isn't pretty but it's effective. It was a poor game to watch and it's not a very good style to play but it's effective and if you do it right, you can pick up points. It's definitely a point gained. West Brom have started the season well and it's a tough place to come.
"Kelle was excellent and that's why he is playing. He's a good goalkeeper and he kept us in the game on a couple of occasions. It's not just our keeper - they do that to all the keepers from their corners. They have a couple of short corners that you have to be alive to and they're right on your keeper, but Kelle was alive to it. They put a lot of long balls into our box and there were some blocks on the line, and we had to put our bodies on the line, so I am pleased to come away with a point."
