West Brom 0 Fulham 0
West Brom boss Roy Hodgson had to make do with a point from a goalless draw against his former club.
West Brom boss Roy Hodgson had to make do with a point from a goalless draw against his former club.
The Baggies' failed to sparkle in a dire first-half that was edged by the Cottagers but featured a lack of goal chances.
The hosts were much-improved after the break but could not find a breakthrough, with visiting goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer denying Peter Odemwingie and Chris Brunt hitting the woodwork in stoppage time.
The scoreboard was blank at the end of a dreadful first-half, in which the visitors were neat but lacked penetration and West Brom started brightly but soon faded.
Chris Brunt had the only real Baggies chance with a clever run to meet a Nicky Shorey cross, but sent his header straight at Schwarzer in the Cottagers' goal.
And the Australian had another simple save to make when Youssouf Mulumbu fired straight at him, after robbing Pajtim Kasami in midfield.
There was also a reprieve for Baggies goalkeeper Ben Foster on 13 minutes, when he spilled a regulation shot from Clint Dempsey into the path of Kasami, who buried the rebound only to have his celebrations cut short by an offside flag.
West Brom were on top for much of the second-half but struggled to turn their advantage into chances.
And they could have been behind soon after the restart when a shot from Clint Dempsey, that was heading wide, hit Jonas Olsson and bounced back off the woodwork with Foster beaten.
Shane Long had loud penalty appeals turned down for a shove by John Arne Riise, before Odemwingie squandered a glorious chance for West Brom.
The Nigerian raced through the Fulham defence to collect a brilliant Mulumbu through-ball, but fired his shot too close to Mark Schwarzer, who made a smart save.
With 12 minutes to go, substitute Bryan Ruiz hit the outside of Foster's post with a follow-up effort, after the goalkeeper had parried a free-kick by Riise.
Then, deep into stoppage time, Brunt hit a right-footed shot that took the visitors by surprise, but thudded off the base of Schwarzer's right-hand post and bounced to safety.