Birmingham 0 West Brom 0: Another stalemate but battling Baggies bag precious point

After the Stoke stalemate Albion needed to back it up with something meaningful and they did just that - grinding out a valuable point at their in form near neighbours.

Albion had to settle for just half chances in the game - with Blues seeing the better of the goalmouth action.

And it was Max O'Leary who earned the plaudits of his team mates and the travelling fans with a string of fine saves to keep last season's League One champions at bay.

Coupled with Leicester's collapse at Southampton - the point saw Albion two points clear of the drop zone as they now look like they can build some sort of momentum to get out of this relegation scrap.

Ramsay was always going to make one change as he was forced to bring in Charlie Taylor at centre back in the absence of injured Chris Mepham, with Danny Imray and Aune Heggebo recalled for Alfie Gilchrist and Daryl Dike.

It was always going to be a tall order against a Blues side in good form - and you could see they were brimming with confidence early on.

However, it was Albion who had the first chance as Jed Wallace's tame short was kept out by James Beadle.

Moments later though the Baggies had a big let off. After Jayson Molumby deflected a free kick over, Seung-Ho Paik was left complete unmarked at the back post.

It looked for all the world like Paik would head home but a combination of Callum Styles and O'Leary kept it out.

Albion composed themselves after that wobble with Wallace seeing an effort deflect wide midway through the first half, after good work from Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba.

O'Leary was again called upon in the space of a few minutes to keep a Bright Osayi-Samuel shot out - before palming away an Ibrahim Osman volley from a corner.

It was Blues with the better chances but Albion were having decent enough passages of play at times - and a lot of it was down to Jimoh-Aloba.

The Villa loanee drove inside and had a shot blocked, before Molumby and Alex Mowatt both saw subsequent rebounds kept out.

Albion ended the half strongly and although it was goalless at the break, Albion carried more of a threat than they have done in Ramsay's time in charge so far.

The Baggies boss opted for one half time change as Danny Imray was hooked at the break for Gilchrist. The loanee had endured a tough first period up against the speedy Osman, with Ramsay looking to plug a gap on the right side of the back four.

Albion kicked off the second period with a pot shot from Molumby - and they were on top when a handball shout against Christoph Klarner was waved away.

It was the Baggies looking more likely but having had a spell without creating anything meaningful - it was the home side who came back into it.

And they saw a second effort cleared off the line when Osman found himself free at the back post and his effort beat O'Leary, but not Taylor covering on the line.

Albion's goal was living a charmed life as Osman again lashed over unmarked at the back post - before O'Leary showed his worth with another save to palm away a Marvin Ducksch effort.

Seconds before the chance, Ramsay had signalled his intent that he was happy to take a point as Ousmane Diakite came on for the lively Jimoh-Aloba.

Albion had to stick the tin hats on for a period - as Blues went in search of what would have surely been a late winner.

And they almost handed a goal to Blues on a silver platter as a Diakite back header almost fell straight into the path of Ducksch just yards out.

But just when Albion would have wanted a drama free ending - substitute August Priske glanced in a corner with St Andrews going wild, only for the offside flag to be raised.

Then the post came to Albion's rescue in the seventh minute of added on time when Vicente struck the post in what was the last act of the game - as they hung on for a precious point.

Teams

Albion: O'Leary, Imray (Gilchrist), Phillips (Bielik 90), Taylor, Styles, Mowatt, Molumby, Wallace (Johnston 61), Price, Jimoh-Aloba (Diakite 71), Heggebo (Dike 61)

Subs not used: Griffiths, Bostock, Maja, Whitwell

Blues: Beadle, Osayi-Samuel (Iwata 57), Nuemann, Klarner, Wagner, Jhon Solis, Paik (Doyle 13), Roberts (Vicente 57), Ducksch, Osman (Gray 74), Stansfield (Priske 57)

Subs not used: Allsop, Tomoki, Panzo, Kyogo