West Brom 1 Hull 1: Report as Albion drop two points late on to Tigers
Albion were pegged back at The Hawthorns by relegation-battling Hull City despite a breakthrough in the second period.
Isaac Price volleyed in his first goal for the club midway through the second half in an open game against the lowly visitors, but substitute Abu Kamara turned in a leveller with 11 minutes left.
A draw was about the right outcome in a competitive contest, one which head coach Tony Mowbray predicted in the week.
Mowbray will be disappointed his side could only manage a point in a home game on which he had placed much emphasis. He argued the midweek effort to draw at Burnley would be a better one with three points against the Tigers.
Albion were the better team in the first period but did not turn their dominance into enough clear-cut openings. Hull, improving under Ruben Selles, retained hope despite Price's fine opener.
Baggies goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, maligned for his midweek error, made some huge late saves including a stoppage-time effort from Kamara to hang on to a point as Albion finish the day sixth ahead of the international break.
An 18th league draw of the season is the most in the top six tiers of English football for six-unbeaten Albion.
Mowbray unsurprisingly brought Kyle Bartley into his backline and reverted to a back four - but there were still surprises in the Baggies ranks.
Other returnees to the side were winger Mikey Johnston and midfielder Jayson Molumby, though the latter was surprisingly used in a right midfield role after his midweek rest.
Callum Styles was missing with a calf injury which puts his Hungary national duty in doubt as Torbjorn Heggem deputised at left-back. Tom Fellows returned to the bench where he joined Ousmane Diakite, so impressive last time but out of the side.
Head coach Mowbray had predicted a "dangerous game" and warned Selles' visitors will come to attack.
Almost immediately an open, watchable contest broke out. The returning Johnston - in the Republic of Ireland squad - showed early purpose with an effort wide from distance and one low at goal, fielded by goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.
Albion were busy all around and inside the Hull box. Makeshift right-back Isaac Price, covering for the suspended Darnell Furlong, had a delicious low cross scuffed by Adam Armstrong in a tough chance.
Hull were open and attack-minded as Mowbray promised. Mason Burstow, one of two changes, sent a dipping strike narrowly wide from 20 yards.
But the hosts were in charge and played some nice stuff. Several one-touch moves, with passes around the corner, had The Hawthorns crowd purring. A John Swift 'rabona' pass typified his newfound confidence.
Grant was inches from a lovely low Molumby cross after a neat give-and-go with Armstrong. For all of their quality approach play, Albion lacked the volume of shots when in good positions. It was then Armstrong to be inches away with a diving header from a Grant cross after a great run.
On-loan Southampton frontman Armstrong turned the hosts' best opening of the half over the crossbar from Molumby's pass near the right byline. The latter's ball was a touch delayed.
The hosts' unfamiliar full-backs combined on the stroke of half-time as Price lashed a volley from Heggem's deep cross well over.
Swift was the width of the crossbar from putting Albion ahead 90 seconds after the restart. His side-footed strike from Johnston's pass 18 yards out cracked the woodwork with Pandur an observer.
Hull responded. Makeshift striker Matt Crooks headed over and one or two dangerous crosses caused problems.
The Baggies looked livelier on the hour as Price was again picked out by Heggem and this time a first-time left-footed effort was kept out by Pandur. The resulting corner picked out Johnston at the back post but after some excellent control he blasted wildly over.
Mowbray rolled the dice on the hour with Tom Fellows and Grady Diangana introduced to provide some extra ammunition with the clash finely poised.
The big breakthrough followed soon after. Johnston's corner from the left was only half cleared by Charlie Hughes' looping header and dropped to Price on the edge of the box.
It was awkward and the Northern Ireland international did so well to contort his body in little space to dispatch a volley from 18 yards into the bottom left corner. Pandur didn't attempt a dive.
It felt like a big goal and Price was close to adding a similar second 10 minutes later with another volley from a similar position. This time it flew or foot or so wide.
Hull never stopped pushing but their 79th-minute equaliser was not in the script. Lewie Coyle's deep ball was nodded across goal by sub Kasey Palmer for fellow change Kamara to bundle home past Joe Wildsmith five yards out to Hawthorns nerves.
It could have got worse. Joe Gelhardt's curler drew a parried Wildsmith save and the keeper's follow-up reaction stop to keep out Lincoln Henrique was a fine one.
Both sides pushed. Albion had Daryl Dike and Will Lankshear on as fellow sub Grady Diangana headed wide. Dike then powered a stoppage-time header wide.
But time added on belonged to Wildsmith. Kyle Joseph released Kamara in on goal but Wildsmith raced out to spread himself and narrow the angle to make a superb one-v-one save and preserve a point on a disappointing afternoon.
Albion (4-4-2): Wildsmith, Price, Holgate, Bartley, Heggem; Molumby, Mowatt (Lankshear, 86), Molumby, Johnston, Swift (Diangana, 62), Grant (Fellows, 62), Armstrong (Dike, 75).
Subs not used: Griffiths, Frabotta, Mohammed, Diakite, Bostock.
Hull City (4-2-3-1): Pandur; Coyle (c), Hughes, Jones, McLoughlin; Slater (Lincoln, 76), Alzate; Burstow (Palmer, 61), Gelhardt, Joseph; Crooks (Kamara, 61).
Subs not used: Lo-Tutala, Vaughan, Egan, Burns, Jacob, Tinsdale.
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
