Match Reports

Match Report : 26/11/2016

Baggies held at KCOM Stadium but remain ninth

  • McAuley heads third league goal of season (34)
  • Dawson levels for Tigers (72)
  • Baggies, ninth, unbeaten in three matches
  • Chadli makes injury comeback
  • Attendance: 18,086
  • Albion Star Man: Allan Nyom
ALBION extended their unbeaten run to three matches but were denied victory after Hull City came back to claim a 1-1 draw at the KCOM Stadium.

Gareth McAuley headed his third league goal of the season from in-form Matt Phillips' inswinging corner - his third assist in as many games - to net the opening goal just after the half-hour mark for a dominant Baggies.

But, in a game of two halves, the Tigers hit back courtesy of captain Michael Dawson in the 72nd minute to secure a share of the spoils.

Albion were aiming to seal a third successive Premier League triumph for the first time since 2012 but, despite only coming away from East Yorkshire with a point, will head into next weekend's home fixture against Watford looking to strengthen a sequence which has seen them claim seven points from a possible nine.

The Baggies, who are still yet to record a victory at the KCOM, remain ninth in the Premier League table.

McAuley headed off target while the in-form James Morrison sent a shot wide inside a largely low-key opening quarter which Albion enjoyed the better of, enjoying 82% of the possession inside the first 15 minutes.

And they got their reward in the 34th minute as Phillips' corner was headed home by McAuley from just outside the six-yard box.

A resurgent Tigers enjoyed their first shot on target shortly after half-time as Robert Snodgrass tested Ben Foster, who was then forced to get down well to deny Jake Livermore soon after.

And City levelled matters with 18 minutes remaining, Dawson turning and firing home from close range after Snodgrass' free-kick had been knocked down.

Hal Robson-Kanu headed a good opening wide late on before fellow substitute Nacer Chadli saw his free-kick superbly kept out by David Marshall.

But arguably the best chance went to Salomon Rondon, whose injury-time header went the wrong side of the far post.

Hull: Marshall, Elmohamady, Dawson, Davies, Tymon (Robertson 90+3), Snodgrass, Livermore, Mason (Diomande 45), Clucas, Henriksen (Meyler 88), Mbokani.

Subs: Jakupovic, Maguire, Huddlestone, Bowen.

BOOKED: Dawson (foul, 29), Clucas (foul, 45), Diomande (foul, 73)

Albion: Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Nyom; Yacob, Fletcher (c) (McClean 64); Brunt, Morrison (Chadli 79), Phillips (Robson-Kanu 83); Rondon.

Subs: Palmer; Olsson, Gardner, Galloway.

BOOKED: McAuley (foul, 60), Evans (time wasting, 67) 

Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)