MX23RW : Monday, July 20 01:41:21| >> :120:12940:12940:

Result: West Bromwich Albion slip up in promotion race as Blackburn Rovers claim a point

Result: West Brom slip up in promotion race as Blackburn claim a point
© Reuters
The Baggies were held to a 1-1 draw.

Automatic promotion-chasing West Brom had to settle for a point at Blackburn after substitute Joe Rothwell's strike earned the hosts a 1-1 draw.

Albion took a deserved lead in the 41st minute through a finish from Filip Krovinovic, who then struck a post early in the second half as he followed up a parried effort by the impressive Matheus Pereira.

But Rovers notched a 63rd-minute equaliser when Rothwell slotted home from Sam Gallagher's pass, two minutes after both players had come on.

It then took a fine save by Sam Johnstone to deny another Blackburn substitute, Jacob Davenport, and the hosts went close again soon after as Kyle Bartley made a goal-line clearance.

The Baggies remain second in the Championship table, level on points with leaders Leeds – who play at Swansea on Sunday – and three points clear of third-placed Brentford with three games to go.

Blackburn are 12th, outside the play-off places by four points.

After an early Rovers attack saw Adam Armstrong fail to connect properly with a Dominic Samuel cross, West Brom started to step things up and Kamil Grosicki's low drive brought a save out of Christian Walton just before the quarter-hour mark.

Krovinovic sent a shot into Walton's arms moments later, before Charlie Austin scooped over the hosts' bar from a Pereira pass. Pereira then dribbled to the edge of the box and hit an effort that deflected wide thanks to a fine Tosin Adarabioyo block.

As the visitors continued to pressurise, Pereira played in Austin, who was well thwarted by Walton, and the Brazilian subsequently crashed an attempt into the side-netting.

The breakthrough came when Pereira cut the ball back to Austin and he lofted a pass to Krovinovic, who volleyed past Walton.

First-half stoppage time saw Blackburn almost reply through a Danny Graham header that Johnstone kept out smartly, before Pereira caused more problems for the home defence as he picked out Jake Livermore, with the skipper's shot being dealt with by Walton.

Four minutes into the second half it was nearly 2-0 with Pereira again to the fore, his strike being parried by Walton and Krovinovic firing the loose ball against the upright.

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray made a quadruple substitution just after the hour mark, and moments later the move paid off as two of those introduced combined to draw things level, Rothwell finishing as he met Gallagher's cut-back.

Within seconds, West Brom substitute Grady Diangana had a chance to restore the away side's lead but he could only miskick from a good position.

Semi Ajayi then had a strike blocked and Diangana shot wide, before the action switched back to the other end in the final 10 minutes as Davenport, clean through, was thwarted by Johnstone and Bartley cleared off the line following an attempt by Lewis Holtby.

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Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray on June 20, 2020
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeeds UnitedLeeds45279973353890
2West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom452216775433282
3Brentford452491279364381
4Fulham4523111163471680
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest4518161157461170
6Cardiff CityCardiff451816116558770
7Swansea CitySwansea451716125852667
8Preston North EndPreston451811165853565
9Millwall451617125350365
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn451712166460463
11Bristol City451711175964-562
12Derby CountyDerby451613165963-461
13Wigan AthleticWigan451513175655158
14Queens Park RangersQPR45169206574-957
15Reading451511195854456
16Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds451511195764-756
17Stoke CityStoke45158225867-953
18Huddersfield TownHuddersfield451312205166-1551
19Middlesbrough451214194660-1450
20Birmingham CityBirmingham451214195372-1950
21Charlton AthleticCharlton451212215061-1148
22Luton TownLuton45139235180-2948
23Barnsley451113214768-2146
24Hull City45129245784-2745

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