West Brom faced a setback in their quest to move closer to the top four as they were held to a 1-1 draw by managerless Stoke in the Sky Bet Championship at the Hawthorns. Lynden Gooch gave Stoke a surprise lead after 12 minutes, but Brandon Thomas-Asante equalized for the hosts in the 35th minute. The draw sees West Brom move up to fifth in the table, but Stoke will be more satisfied with the result as they remain three points above the relegation zone, without a win in their last eight league matches.
Despite showing early dominance, West Brom found themselves behind when a cross from Gooch caught the West Brom goalkeeper off guard and found the back of the net. Stoke almost doubled their lead shortly after, but Ryan Mmaee’s shot deflected wide. Meanwhile, West Brom struggled to break down Stoke’s defense until a moment of quality from Sarmineto led to Thomas-Asante’s equalizer, leveling the scores at 1-1.
The second half saw Stoke continue to frustrate the hosts, with West Brom struggling to create clear chances. Jed Wallace and Tom Fellows were denied by last-ditch tackles and deflections, while Stoke’s Josh Laurent came close to restoring their lead with a couple of chances.
As the game drew to a close, Thomas-Asante had the opportunity to secure the win for West Brom, but Stoke’s goalkeeper Jack Bonham reacted well to keep the scores level. He then preserved the point for Stoke by pushing away Pipa’s close-range effort.
Despite their dominance, West Brom could not find a way past Stoke’s defense for the winning goal, leaving the hosts frustrated and Stoke relieved. For Stoke, the draw will provide a much-needed confidence boost as they continue their battle against relegation. West Brom, on the other hand, will look back on it as a missed opportunity to gain ground on the top teams in the Championship.
The result reflects the competitive nature of the Championship, with even the lowest-ranked teams capable of causing problems for those at the top. It also highlights the importance of scoring when dominating possession, as West Brom found out the hard way. As for Stoke, their resilient defensive display will give them hope for the challenges that lie ahead in their fight for survival in the Championship.