West Brom 1 Leeds 1 - Report and pictures

Defender Semi Ajayi was the only man on target during an often-frenetic encounter, hooking narrowly over the line to break the deadlock within the first two minutes but then unwittingly diverting Patrick Bamford’s header into his own net shortly after half time.

Momentum regularly shifted throughout the afternoon, with Leeds enjoying more possession during the first half but Albion looking the more threatening, particularly just before the break when Matt Phillips was denied what could have been a crucial second goal by Kiki Casilla.

The visitors dominated for a good spell in the second half, both before and after their equaliser, but both teams could lay claim to several decent opportunities to take all three points.

Even in the closing stages, with both sides gunning for the win, Bamford was denied by Sam Johnstone before Baggies’s substitute Kyle Edwards saw his powerful effort tipped over by Casilla.

Probably a fair result in the end, maintaining the status quo at the division’s summit, including a nine point cushion thanks to Fulham’s defeat earlier in the day, albeit with one of the chasing pack, Nottingham Forest, now having a game in hand.

Albion made four changes to their starting line-up for the first game of 2020.

Kieran Gibbs and Kyle Bartley returned to the defence with Nathan Ferguson injured and Ahmed Hegazi dropping to the bench.

Romaine Sawyers restored his central midfield partnership with Jake Livermore with Gareth Barry among the substitutes, and Filip Krovinovic came in at the expense of Edwards.

The atmosphere was positively crackling inside The Hawthorns prior to kick off and Albion got on the front foot from the off, winning a corner.

Leeds were unable to clear what was an initially deflected flag kick, after which Ajayi and Bartley traded headers before Ajayi did superbly well to hook the ball goalwards.

Jack Harrison performed heroics in desperately trying to prevent the ball crossing the line but goal-line technology showed it was clearly over, giving Albion the perfect start with less than two minutes on the clock.

Buoyed by that opener, the Baggies were soon back on the attack and putting the Leeds defence under real pressure.

Winning a free kick out on the right, Phillips tried to catch keeper Kiki Casilla off guard with a cheeky low effort around the wall, but was just off target.

But, with eight minutes gone, Leeds had two decent chances to fashion an equaliser, both via in-swinging crosses from Helder Costa.

The first flashed across goal with no one able to get a touch and the second was headed away by an Albion defender.

Minutes later Costa was again the danger man after a neat Leeds move, his teasing cross this time headed away by Darnell Furlong.

The visitors were now enjoying a good spell of momentum and produced a nice move which ended with Stuart Dallas firing over.

Even before that the gestures of several Albion players made it clear that a change was needed at the back with Gibbs struggling with injury, and he was then replaced by Conor Townsend.

There was a moment of controversy on 23 minutes as Sawyers and Mateusz Klich were grappling for position just inside the penalty area, waiting for a throw-in.

Klich clearly wrestled Sawyers to the floor just as the ball was being thrown in but neither referee Robert Jones nor his assistant felt it warranted a foul.

Much of the game at this stage was being played in Albion’s half, with one or two pieces of nervous defending giving the visitors plenty of hope as they looked for a way back into the game.

The Baggies though were looking a threat when going forward, and Matheus Pereira’s snapshot was only gathered at the second attempt by Leeds keeper Casilla.

Another loose pass at the back however set up a Leeds chance from which Costa’s first time half volley was cleanly taken by Sam Johnstone.

The game was fluctuating from end to end and after Pereira won a free kick from a driving run, he picked himself up to try his luck from distance with a decent effort which Casilla turned around the post.

It was Leeds’ turn for loud penalty appeals shortly before the break as Luke Ayling’s cross struck Townsend but again referee Jones was unmoved.

Albion then squandered a glorious chance to extend their lead two minutes before half time.

A crisp passing move saw Sawyers find Hal Robson-Kanu whose pinpoint delivery sent Phillips through on goal.

Casilla stood up well to block Phillips’ effort and the follow-up from Robson-Kanu was over the bar.

As the half drifted into added time Johnston needed to be alert to palm Kalvin Phillips’ deep free kick behind and then Bartley charged out quickly to block a shot from Ezgjan Alioski.

Marcelo Bielsa’s response to the first half was to make a double change at the interval, Barry Douglas replacing Alioski at left back and Bamford coming on up front at the expense of Eddie Nketiah.

It was the visitors who started the better in the second half winning several set pieces and it was their early momentum which helped them draw level, albeit with a huge dose of good fortune, on 51 minutes.

Bamford got on the end of a deep cross from Harrison but only managed a glancing header which then diverted off Ajayi before finding the corner, giving Johnstone no chance.

Bamford had given Leeds some fresh impetus which had roused the visiting fans as Leeds won a corner shortly afterwards, Bartley rising well to clear.

The same Albion defender was then on hand twice more in quick succession with vital clearances as the visitors, buoyed by their leveller, threatened to take control.

The Baggies managed to respond to the spell of Leeds dominance and get back up the pitch, Sawyers and Robson-Kanu combining to play in Krovinovic whose attempted cross was smothered by Casilla.

That was to be Krovinovic’s last action as he made away for Edwards on 62 minutes, just after the dangerous Bamford had been inches wide with a first time effort.

Leeds continued to sweep forward, and another Bartley clearance struck Townsend before going over the bar for another corner, this time headed away by Ajayi.

Albion may have been on the back foot for the first half of the second half, but still they carried a forward threat, Pereira drawing another save out of Casilla after a one-two from a free kick.

And as they started to reassert themselves in the contest Phillips cut inside from the right before letting fly with a left foot drive which was narrowly over.

As the game passed the 70 minute mark it was still anyone’s to win, and Leeds skipper Liam Cooper headed over from a corner as Costa waited behind, poised to let fly with a shot.

Johnstone caused a moment of panic as he came out of his box and tried to take on a Leeds opponent but fortunately the attempted tackle drifted out of play for an Albion free kick.

Slaven Bilic played his last throw of the dice with seven minutes remaining, sending on Kenneth Zohore for Phillips as the Baggies went in search of a winner.

Furlong’s little flick to a cross then forced Casilla into action but Johnstone needed to make a far stronger save a minute from time after Bamford broke free down the left.

There was still time for Casilla to make an even better save as Albion pressed, showing all his reflexes to tip Edwards’ shot over the bar.

The full time whistle heralded a lengthy and warm embrace between the respective Head Coaches, and plenty of noise from both sets of fans, after a pulsating encounter in which neither side had been able to register a hefty blow in the title race but equally neither falling away.

For Albion, a tricky set of Christmas fixtures may have yielded only three points from four games, but still with a decent advantage to third, and the chance to reshape the squad in January if required, a less-hectic spell of league games in January offers the chance to regroup and push on in the quest for automatic promotion.

Teams

Albion (4-2-3-1): Johnstone, Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Gibbs (Townsend 18); Livermore, Sawyers; M. Phillips (Zohore 84), Pereira, Krovinovic (Edwards 62); Robson-Kanu.

Subs not used: Bond, Hegazi, Barry, Austin.

Leeds (4-1-4-1): Casilla, Ayling, Cooper, White, Alioski (Douglas 45); K. Phillips; Costa, Klich, Dallas, Harrison; Nketiah (Bamford 45).

Subs not used: Meslier, Berardi, Gotts, Stevens, Casey.

Referee: Robert Jones.