Slaven Bilic: West Brom draw a game of two halves

Two of the division’s top three form teams battled it out at The Hawthorns, with the visitors having the better of the first half and going in front as captain Henrik Dalsgaard headed home a corner.

But the Baggies drew level almost immediately thanks to a carbon copy header from Darnell Furlong, and shaded the second half without being able to breach the Brentford back-line.

“It was a little bit of a game of two halves, a very good game of football between two good sides,” said the Albion boss.

“They started a little better, and they are a good team and a team in form.

“We couldn’t put a stamp on the game at home like we normally do although it wasn’t all them, and from my point of view we had the best chance of the first half with Kyle Edwards one-on-one with the keeper.

“In the second half it was good from us, and we put our stamp on it.

“The only thing missing was a second goal and we ran out of time, but I think it was a fair result.

“I am never happy with a point, home or away, but I praised the players after the game, telling them we should have been like that in the first half.”

Bilic was actually asked about two contentious incidents in the game, an alleged handball from Kyle Bartley in between the two goals, and Charlie Austin seeing his late effort ruled out for offside.

“I saw the handball, I think he (Bartley) slipped a bit but it wasn’t deliberate and the hand was in a natural position,” he added.

“I’ve seen them given but it was very difficult because the referee was behind him.

“For the other one it was offside – there is no VAR but fair enough it was offside.”

Bartley was withdrawn early in the second half with an ankle injury making him a doubt for the Boxing Day trip to Barnsley.

“He twisted his ankle, he tried to carry on which is a good sign, but there was no way that he could,” added the boss.

“It’s sore and now we’re going to have to see.

“It’s not big-time swollen, but it is an injury.”