charlton 1 west brom 1

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Charlton Athletic 1 West Bromwich Albion 1


IT WAS a case of neither here nor there as West Bromwich Albion failed to make the most of a dominant display at Charlton Athletic.

A stunning Kevin Phillips goal gave the Baggies a share of the points following Greg Halford's opener.

But Albion should have been coming back to the Midlands with all three points after setting up camp in Charlton's half after the break.

Zoltan Gera almost snatched what would have been a deserved victory in the dying minutes only to see his shot cannon against the crossbar.

The result means Albion fans will be hoping for more favours when their Championship rivals play this afternoon.

Tony Mowbray's team selection brought more changes in terms of personnel and tactics.

Pele came into midfield, with Bostjan Cesar replacing Leon Barnett and Carl Hoefkens returning from his hamstring problem. The Baggies lined up as 4-3-3, with Gera and Ishmael Miller occupying the flanks.

Halford went close for the home side on 13 minutes after Martin Albrechtsen had brought down Andy Gray. The ex-Sunderland man's free-kick sailed just wide.

Albion hit back with some pressure of their own, with Robert Koren and Jon Greening having 18th-minute shots beaten away by the home side's backline.

The Baggies' demons returned just after the half-hour mark. Pele fouled Jerome Thomas to concede a free-kick deep in Albion's half. Darren Ambrose's delivery was headed home by Halford, who rose above Miller to nod the ball past Dean Kiely.

Mowbray's men tried to hit back, with Paul Robinson latching on to Greening's long diagonal ball and sending in a cross for Phillips. The veteran striker sent his header wide of Nicky Weaver's right-hand post.

Albion briefly abandoned their three-man midfield to switch to a more conventional 4-4-2 in the closing stages of the first half as they went in search of an equaliser.

But it was a free-kick which brought Albion back into the game. Greening was brought down by Ambrose and his free-kick was nodded into Phillips' path by Gera's back-post header. Phillips coolly slotted his shot into the roof of the net from eight yards.

Charlton should have restored their lead just before the interval when ex-Albion loanee Sam Sodje collected Ambrose's ball, broke clear of the Baggies' backline but blasted his shot high into the stand.

The home side started brightly after the break and were unfortunate not to score their second in the 51st minute when Hoefkens only part-cleared Matt Holland's cross, allowing Thomas to tee-up a shot from outside the area. The ex-Arsenal man curled his shot just wide.

Gera's long-range effort at the other end, just before the hour, marked Albion's best chance during the opening stages of the second half. His 20-yard shot sailed outside Weaver's post.

Alan Pardew's patience was sorely tested following a robust challenge on Thomas by Greening, who had already been booked for an earlier challenge.

Mowbray's side continued to push forward with Phillips going close in 79th minute when he drove his shot over.

The Baggies were more fluent and purposeful as the game wore on but, try as they might, they found Charlton's defence, marshalled by the impressive Paddy McCarthy, difficult to get past.

Gera went closest when his 89th-minute volley rattled the top of Charlton's crossbar.