ALBION reserves extended their unbeaten league run to five games with a goalless Hawthorns draw against Sheffield Wednesday - but deserved more.
The youthful Baggies bossed the totesport.com Central League Central Division encounter only to be denied all three points by a combination of Owls goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell and the woodwork.
Paul Downing was twice unlucky as he saw his fifth-minute header cleared off the goalline and a similar 54th-minute effort cannon back off the crossbar.
Reuben Reid also hit the bar ten minutes from time.
But in between the hosts were almost undone by a sucker punch when Charline Tunnard hit the frame of the goal with a rare Wednesday effort.
The Baggies threatened first in the fifth minute when Downing stole in on Sam Mantom's right-wing corner but saw his near-post header cleared off the goalline by Tunnard.
Three minutes later Dwayne Samuels gifted possession to Etienne Esajas and his 20-yard drive deflected off Mantom and just wide of the right-hand post.
From the resultant corner former England striker Francis Jeffers played a one-two with Esajas before flashing a low ball across the six-yard box.
Samuels produced a moment of brilliance in the 12th minute as he tricked his way past Callum Harrison before beating Max Wragg and driving in a near-post cross from the right byline that Kayleden Brown headed inches wide.
A minute later Brown was in the action again as he broke down the left and cut the ball back for Romaine Sawyers, whose first-time effort from 15 yards was saved low to his right by O'Donnell.
Reid had Esajas twisting and turning on the edge of the area in the 16th minute before unleashing a goalbound strike that deflected just wide off Mark Beevers.
Reid wasted a golden opportunity to put the hosts ahead in the 21st minute when he headed Mantom's right-wing cross wide of the far post from six yards.
The ex-Rotherham hitman was then allowed to drift across the edge of the visitors' penalty area in the 29th minute and threaded the ball through to Sawyers, who turned sharply only to see his shot fly inches past the left-hand upright.
Joss Labadie got on the end of Mantom's left-wing corner three minutes later - but could not direct his back-post header on target.
Mantom worked a short-corner with Sawyers nine minutes into the second half and delivered the ball for Downing, who was unlucky to see his looping 15-yard header hit the crossbar.
Two minutes later Reid climbed above Nick Wood but headed George Thorne's centre well wide of the right-hand post.
Mantom found Labadie on the edge of the area in the 59th minute and he spun quickly before letting fly with a skidding shot that O'Donnell just managed to turn around his left-hand post.
The Baggies almost got caught on the break in the 65th minute when substitute Nathan Modest fed Tunnard, who lifted the ball over Ryan Allsop from 12 yards but saw the ball hit the bar and drop to safety.
Mantom slotted Reid in on goal in the 71st minute and he unleashed a fierce 15-yard drive that O'Donnell just managed to tip over.
The ball broke kindly for Reid in the box in the 80th minute and he was unfortunate to see his curling first-time effort deflected onto the crossbar and over.
The visitors produced a late burst and Allsop could only parry substitute Sam Eckhardt's powerful drive in the 89th minute before Samuels scrambled it clear to deny Modest a crucial touch in front of goal.
ALBION (4-1-2-1-2): Allsop; Samuels, Downing, Malcolm, Waghorn (Gayle HT); Thorne; Labadie, Mantom; Sawyers (Lynch 87); Reid, Brown (Berahino 72). Subs not used: Tebbutt (gk), Grier.
SHEFF WED (4-4-2): Barnett, Wood, Beevers, Wragg; Harrison, Boden, Palmer, Esajas; Tunnard (Eckhardt 82), Jeffers (Modest 64). Subs not used: Jameson (gk), Haywood, Nyoni.
BOOKINGS: ALBION - Downing (foul 40). SHEFF WED - Barnett (foul 53), Boden (foul 63).
GOALS: None.
REFEREE: A Rayner (Loughborough).
ATTENDANCE: 425.
ALBION STARMAN: Sam Mantom.
