West Brom 0 Coventry 0 - Report

The Baggies had seen their faint hopes of finishing in the Championship play-offs all but ended when they were beaten at Nottingham Forest on Easter Monday.

Coventry, meanwhile, made the short trip to The Hawthorns with an outside chance of gatecrashing the top six.

Despite that, though, this encounter had an end-of-season feel right from the off with very little quality on show.

Both teams were guilty of playing too many miss-placed passes with clear-cut chances at both ends at a premium.

Albion, though, really should have won it with the last kick when substitute Callum Robinson was tripped in the box by Michael Rose.

Referee Stephen Martin had little choice but to point to the spot.

Karlan Grant, though, went on to his spot-kick well saved by goalkeeper Ben Wilson.

The result means Albion have dropped into the bottom half of the table - with it now mathematically certain they will be a Championship side again next year.

Report

Baggies boss Steve Bruce opted to make three changes from the team that was beaten at Forest when naming his starting line-up.

Having somewhat surprisingly left Semi Ajayi on the bench at the City Ground, the Nigerian international came back into the side at the expense of Kyle Bartley.

The boss also made two changes in midfield where Jayson Molumby and Taylor Gardner-Hickman lined up alongside Jake Livermore.

That move allowed Adam Reach to switch from the middle of the park to right wing-back with Darnell Furlong suspended.

Conor Townsend operated on the left flank with Andy Carroll joined by Karlan Grant up front in a 3-5-2 formation.

Coventry also lined up in the same system with Callum O'Hare and Viktor Gyokeres their front two.

In what was an even and keenly contested opening half-hour, both teams had decent chances to open the scoring.

It was Albion who threatened first when Reach found Ajayi who had made a brilliant over-lapping run.

The former Arsenal man then sent a wonderfully inviting low cross right across the face of the goal.

That was met by the on-rushing Townsend but he was unable to turn the ball goalwards.

Coventry should have taken the lead a few moments later when - after winning the ball high up the pitch - they found themselves breaking three on two.

First Gyokeres picked out a run from O'Hare before he fed Jamie Allen in the box.

He, though, curled wide when he should have done better.

From that point, the half proved very flat with the game very much having an end-of-season feel.

The Baggies did have one more excellent chance when a simple ball over the top got Grant in on goal.

Had his touch been better, the 24-year-old would have been clean through one-on-one.

Instead, though, Grant got his timings wrong with keeper Ben Wilson able to easily claim the ball.

The Baggies came a whisker away from opening the scoring just minutes after the re-start.

Reach whipped in a corner that Matt Clarke met with a powerful header.

At full stretch, though, Wilson made a brilliant diving stop to parry the ball away.

Despite that bright start, the half proved to be a complete non-event for the next half hour with very little quality on show and both sides seeing too far many passes going astray.

Coventry almost did take the lead in the 75th minute when Gyokeres fired inches wide with a free-kick from just outside the box.

The visitors then threatened again when Ben Sheaf did well to twist and turn past two men on the edge of the box before hitting a low drive which David Button claimed.

Albion almost pinched the points late on when substitute Matt Phillips - who was playing a right wing-back - sent in a dangerous cross.

That was met on the volley at the back post by Carroll.

But the striker just couldn't keep his effort down with the ball powerfully flying over the bar.

And they then should have won it when they were awarded a last-second spot-kick when substitute Robinson was fouled by Rose.

In a moment befitting of the game, though, Grant then saw his tame penalty saved by the keeper.

Teams

Albion (3-5-2): Button, Ajayi, O'Shea, Clarke, Reach, Livermore, Molumbly (Diangana 78), Gardner-Hickman (Phillips 72), Townsend (Robinson 92), Carroll, Grant.

Subs not used: Palmer, Bartley, Taylor, Kipre.

Coventry (3-5-2): Wilson, Hyam, McFadzean, Rose, Kane, Hamer (Kelly 79), Sheaf, Allen, Maatsen, O'Hare (Waghorn 62), Gyokeres.

Subs not used: Moore, Clarke-Slater, Shipley, Bidwell, Eccles.