Blackburn 0 West Brom 0: Albion now winless in five
Albion are winless in five games for the first time under Carlos Corberan having been held to a stalemate against Blackburn at Ewood Park.
Corberan, who marks his two-year anniversary at the club on Friday, saw his side settle for a share of the spoils as the hosts dropped points at home for the first time this season.
There was nothing to separate Albion and Rovers in the Championship before the contest and a draw was the right outcome between two even sides who largely cancelled each other out.
The drought without a victory is the longest of the Spaniard's reign but Albion climbed to fourth with the point. The goals have been hard to come by for Corberan's side who have fired three blanks in that winless period, with Josh Maja without a goal in four and Tom Fellows' run of assists also dried up.
The visitors came on strong in the final 15 minutes of either half but clear chances in the first period fell to the wrong bodies and efforts at goal late on were dealt with by Ainsley Pears as the Baggies struggled to summon a breakthrough.
There was a surprise in the Albion line-up an hour ahead of kick-off as Paddy McNair - who had not played a single minute of league football since his summer loan - was in to replace Baggies stalwart Kyle Bartley. McNair's last Championship action was for Middlesbrough against Blackburn in March.
Bartley missed out with an unspecified knock, while another defensive loanee Mason Holgate has a quad injury from international duty with Jamaica. Jayson Molumby replaced Uros Racic.
A fairly tepid first 25 minutes brought little of note other than tame efforts from range from Albion's Fellows and Ryan Hedges for the hosts.
John Eustace's Rovers went closer still when right-back Joe Rankin-Costello fired narrowly wide from range after winning the ball from a quiet Grady Diangana.
Chances did arrive just before half hour, at the right end from an Albion persuasion - but to the wrong players.
It was a case of rampaging full-backs off target as, first of all, Darnell Furlong - starting as captain for the first time - found himself in on goal from a quickly-taken lofted free-kick.
Furlong didn't have much time to think and send a snapshot just wide of the far post across goal.
Moments later it was his left-sided colleague Torbjorn Heggem, without a Baggies goal yet, with the even clearer opening.
Heggem dashed outside to in to race on to a clever pass from striker Maja. The Rovers defence parted and offered the Norwegian all the time in the world. Heggem waited for the right moment but placed his effort the wrong side of the right post and held his head in his hands.
Unlikely goal sources also saw McNair, who enjoyed a solid first half, go close. He was just another stud's length from converted a Fellows cross. Rovers' full-back Rankin-Costello dragged just wide across goal on the stroke of halt-time.
The home crowd significantly upped the ante after the restart as they sensed something for their side. Former Norwich and Ranges man Todd Cantwell sent a well-positioned free-kick into a strong Baggies wall before Corberan made his first change of night a surprising one, John Swift for Fellows before the hour.
Blackburn were on top and forced a huge chance on the hour as a simple ball over the top of Heggem and McNair released striker Yuki Ohashi but the Japanese could only skew horribly wide.
Home boss Eustace introduced former Baggie Andi Weimann and the Austrian had an effort well blocked by McNair. The visitors screamed for a penalty midway through the second half as Furlong was bundled over by Cantwell but the officials were unmoved.
Albion found a second wind inside the final 15 minutes as a wonderful crossfield ball from Alex Mowatt was controlled wonderfully by Karlan Grant, who cut in from the left and stung Pears' palms at his near post.
Corberan sent for Mikey Johnston and Lewis Dobbin inside the final 10 minutes. Johnston found Maja after a good run and his cross picked out Molumby who again tested Pears. Mowatt had another go from range in the dying seconds but there was to be no way through once again.
Blackburn (4-2-3-1): Pears; Rankin-Costello, Hyam, Carter (Batth, 33), Beck; Tronstrad, Travis (c); Hedges (Weimann, 64), Dolan (Brittain, 83), Cantwell (Sigurdsson, 83); Ohashi (Gueye, 83).
Subs not used: Toth, Pickering, Buckley, Baker.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, Ajayi, McNair, Heggem; Molumby (Diakite, 90+3), Mowatt; Fellows (Swift, 58), Diangana (Dobbin, 83), Grant (Johnston, 83); Maja (Wallace, 90+3).
Subs not used: Wildsmith, Styles, Frabotta, Racic.
Attendance: 13,647 (1,362 Albion fans)
Referee: John Busby
