West Brom 0 Stoke City 0: Albion show enough improvement for point against Potters

The Baggies claimed just a second point in five games under Ramsay but delivered a much-needed improvement from the miserable Portsmouth defeat seven days earlier.

A share of the spoils against a poor Stoke outfit was enough to lift the hosts out of the bottom three in the second tier.

But Albion are winless in seven in league action, five of those coming under head coach Ramsay.

The home boss had to lead an improved display after a couple of abject defeats to lowly rivals and having named a side with six changes and a switch to a back-four formation his players responded.

Albion went closest and were marginally the better side on a day of limited clear-cut opportunities. The best of those came in the first period.

Debutant Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba was sharp, as was the returning Jed Wallace. Alex Mowatt and Callum Styles played their roles upon return.

A limited finale could not bring a winner but a point was about right. A clean sheet was just Albion's sixth in the Championship this season.

Concerning, particularly ahead of Tuesday's trip to Birmingham, was a late injury for Chris Mepham with defenders in short supply.

Ramsay's much-changed troops had to show a response from the previous weekend's capitulation on the south coast and did so in terms of the basics in the openings stages which lacked any goalmouth action.

The head coach and supporters' criticism last time was a lack of commitment and fight for the cause as Portsmouth ran all over the Baggies, and the hosts showed signs of improvement here.

Isaac Price - the subject of muted boos before kick-off following his minor verbal altercation with the away end last week - tried to lead from the front with relentless energy and pressing to undo Stoke.

The Albion faithful, so often having to dish out criticism of late, brought the noise and backing to The Hawthorns in the sodden conditions.

The extra energy and spirit was appreciated despite a lack of excitement on the field, but the Baggies edged the opening.

It took until 25 minutes for Nat Phillips to send a tame back-post header from the returning Mowatt's free-kick at goalkeeper Tommy Simkin.

The clash had the feel of an edgy stalemate but it livened up towards half-time.

Home skipper Jed Wallace brought the energy on a first start since October 1 and curled a daisy-cutter inches wide of the right post from 18 yards after a surging run.

Stoke briefly threatened a response with a couple of tame efforts from a Bosun Lawal header and Sorba Thomas low strike.

But the Baggies carried more threat and meaning.

Jimoh-Aloba was bright on his first professional start and Albion debut and went inches from the breakthrough shortly before half-time.

He made a bright burst from halfway and a strike from range looped up off a Potters man and looked to be dipping in under Simkin's crossbar before the backpedalling keeper just recovered.

Right-back Alfie Gilchrist, another of Ramsay's six changes, was lucky to escape a missed clearance before the break. Stoke debutant Jesurun Rak-Sakyi had a clear strike at goal and Mepham made a vital block.

Ramsay's troops returned much quicker than their visitors after the interval and a presumably unsatisfied Mark Robins sent on Lamine Cisse for the ineffective Milan Smit up top.

The beginning of the second period played out like a carbon copy of the first - with limited goalmouth openings but the home side on top.

Price remained busy with his delivery and threat. The ineffective Dike couldn't meet an inviting cross and neither could Jimoh-Aloba on the slide.

Albion's Northern Ireland international Price then had a first-time effort blocked after good work from Callum Styles at left-back.

Ramsay sent for his changes on the hour and introduced Mikey Johnston - who had a slight knock - Aune Heggebo and Josh Maja.

The hosts continued with much of the ball in a frustrating stop-start clash not helped by whistle-happy referee David Webb in difficult and torrential conditions.

Clear-cut opportunities were at a premium. Simkin was comfortable as Price, on the stretch, steered Johnston's cross into the side netting from an impossible angle.

Baggies duo Phillips and Mepham delivered their best displays for some time and continued with some key blocks and clearances to ensure the Potters were blunted.

Ramsay was dealt a further defensive blows as Mepham pulled up with a hamstring injury inside the final 10 minutes. The hamstrung Baggies are also missing Krystian Bielik (shoulder) and George Campbell (hamstring), with the latter closer to a return.

Fans roared on for a late surge but despite no lack of effort there was to be no late hurrah.

Stoke sub Million Manhoef had the final effort in the closing stages, saved comfortably by O'Leary, with the points shared.

Albion (4-2-3-1): O'Leary; Gilchrist (Imray, 73), Phillips, Mepham (Taylor, 82), Styles; Mowatt, Molumby; Wallace (c) (Johnston, 62), Price, Jimoh-Aloba (Maja, 62); Dike (Heggebo, 62).

Subs not used: Griffiths, Diakite, Whitwell, Bostock. 

Stoke (4-2-3-1): Simkin; Lawal (Talovierov, 77), Phillips, Wilmot (c), Cresswell; Pearson (Nzonzi, 90+2), Seko; Rak-Sakyi (Manhoef, 77), Jun-Ho (Rigo, 62), Thomas; Smit (Cisse, 45)

Subs not used: Fielding, Bocat, Gibson, Curley

Referee: David Webb