Burnley 2 West Brom 2 - Report and pictures
Two goals in 12 minutes ended Albion's longest league goal drought in their history at Turf Moor today but the Baggies failed to cling onto all three points after coming from behind to lead.
Salomon Rondon scored his first Baggies goal in nearly five months, swivelling on the ball in the six yard box in the 66th minute to level the scores after a superb James McClean touch had fashioned the chance.
Birthday boy Craig Dawson looked to have won it with a header from a Chris Brunt corner in the 78th minute, but then Sam Vokes - who had opened the scoring 10 minutes after half-time - added his second with a looping header over Ben Foster four minutes from time.
Analysis
During this run it has felt like Albion wouldn't score another goal this season, and during the first half it felt like neither team would score here.
But a lacklustre first-half failed to prepare those watching for the topsy-turvy second-half full of goals.
The fact Albion scored two of those will bring a huge sigh of relief to Tony Pulis. The fact Rondon scored one of them will be even more pleasing.
Albion had scored 10 goals past Burnley in their previous three meetings, so perhaps the Lancashire side were the perfect foes to break that run against.
Just as the Baggies were heading for nine straight hours without a goal, the Venezuelan swivelled on the ball in the six yard box and fired in his first for nearly five months.
And that was it, the dam was broken. Twelve minutes later, Craig Dawson had added a second with a typically determined header from a typically perfect Chris Brunt corner.
Never before have Albion gone so long without scoring in the league, but now the drought is over.
The party isn't necessarily back on, because Albion still need five points from three tough fixtures to break their record Premier League points tally, but at least the team have managed to score again.
Before the match, Sean Dyche described Albion as a 'bigger version' of Burnley, but on the day they were well-matched and the home side, buoyed by their first away win of the season last weekend, had the best of a lacklustre first-half.
Obviously exasperated with recent results, Pulis rang the changes, handing Bournemouth loanee Marc Wilson his first start in an Albion shirt and 18-year-old Sam Field his first start since September.
Darren Fletcher was reinstated to the line-up, as Pulis left James Morrison, Nacer Chadli and Allan Nyom all on the bench.
It was a cautious line-up without many creative players on the pitch as Pulis lost patience with those who had failed to deliver him any goals in the last five games.
With Michael Keane and Ben Mee both out injured, Burnley were forced to play James Tarkowski and Kevin Long at centre-back, a pair who started the day with a combined 306 minutes of Premier League experience between them compared to Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans who have racked up more than 34,000.
Fletcher was given a holding role in a 4-1-4-1 formation, allowing him to distribute the ball from deep while the younger legs of Field and Livermore pressed.
After a nervy start when he nearly gave Burnley a chance with a botched clearance, Wilson soon settled down at left-back and he crashed a memorable cross-field ball to Brunt to calm his nerves.
But in truth, quality was in short supply during a game of overhit channel balls and titanic aerial clashes between two similar sides.
Vokes forced Foster into a sharp save with his feet when he darted to the near post, but the home side's biggest chance came when Evans went down clutching his ankle.
The Clarets almost capitalised on the defender's treatment spell on the sidelines, moving the ball quickly across their midfield to exploit the space, but a last-ditch covering tackle from the determined McClean denied Arfield.
Six minutes after the break Evans had to be removed for Nyom, as Pulis pushed Dawson inside to centre-half.
But Dawson, who turned 27 today, allowed Vokes to steal in front of him and sweep home Barnes's cross during the all-important move of the match.
Livermore may have given away a penalty anyway, but Barnes sensed an opportunity and sprang back up before putting in a low ball.
Considering Albion's recent record in front of goal, many would be forgiven for thinking that was it. But McClean never stops trying.
The fiery winger's excellent first touch to escape Lowton fashioned a chance for Rondon, and the outpouring of emotion after his shot hit the back of the net from everyone in Albion colours proved just how much it meant.
The Baggies put free coach travel on for this game, and 2,500 Albion fans made the trip up the M6.
They were nearly sent home beaming from ear to ear when Dawson, who turns 27 today, made a late run to head Brunt's corner in off the post.
Victory would have left Albion within one win of 50 points but Vokes, who was superb all afternoon, had the last laugh four minutes from time, flicking on a deep free-kick over Ben Foster and into a gaping net.
The keeper has been superb this season but he shouldn't have come for the ball. However, a draw was probably a fair result on the balance of play, and both teams were deservedly clapped off after a breathless second-half.
Key Moments
33 Brilliant covering tackle from McClean denies Arfield as Burnley nearly exploit the space left by Jonny Evans, who was off receiving treatment.
56 GOAL BURNLEY - Barnes goes down under a challenge from Livermore in the box, but gets back up, crosses it, and Vokes gets in front of Dawson and sweeps it home at the near post.
66 GOAL ALBION - McClean escapes from Lowton with a brilliant first-time touch and drives into the box but his cross is stopped by Tarkowski, who falls to the floor. Rondon swivels on the ball and fires it into the bottom corner to break his and Albion's goal drought.
78 GOAL ALBION - Chris Brunt swings in a typically devilish corner into the six yard box and birthday boy Dawson arrives late before heading it in off the post.
86 GOAL BURNLEY - Vokes with a header over Foster, who came for a free-kick when he should have stayed.
Albion man of the match
Chris Brunt - Never put a foot wrong and laid the corner on for Dawson for Albion's second.
Position in the table
8th, with 45 points.
Teams
Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton (c); Lowton, Long, Tarkowski, Ward; Boyd (Brady 80), Hendrick, Westwood, Arfield (Gudmundsson 80); Barnes (Gray 79), Vokes. Unused subs: Pope, Flanagan, Darikwa, Defour.
Albion (4-1-4-1): Foster; Dawson, Evans (Nyom 51), McAuley, M Wilson (Yacob 87); Fletcher (c); Brunt, Livermore, Field (Morrison 57), McClean; Rondon. Unused subs: Myhill, K Wilson, Chadli, Leko.
Referee: Mike Jones (Chester)
