Match Reports

Albion v Everton match report

DOMINANT Albion were held to a goalless draw by Everton in their Boxing Day clash at The Hawthorns.

The Baggies bossed proceedings in the Premier League encounter, creating a host of chances, but they could not make their superiority count - Salomon Rondon, twice, and Craig Dawson unable to convert the clearest opportunities. 

It meant impressive Albion were forced to settle for a share of the spoils from a game in which they deserved maximum reward in front of a vocal and passionate home support of 25,364 for the festive fixture.

Alan Pardew's side will round off 2017 with the visit of Arsenal on New Year's Eve.

The Albion Head Coach made three changes from the weekend reverse at Stoke - fit-again pair Dawson and Matt Phillips returning while there was also a recall for Jay Rodriguez in attack.

And it was he who almost provided the assist for an Albion opener as early as the sixth minute although Rondon, from close range, could not fully connect with his inswinging cross.

The Baggies made a blistering start to proceedings and it was Phillips who was next to send in a dangerous ball which narrowly evaded an oncoming Chris Brunt.

Scotland international Phillips, making his first appearance for a month, was in electric mood and drilled a cross which Dawson headed over from just yards out.

Brunt was at the centre of the action and he tested Jordan Pickford from distance before Gareth Barry, superb against his former club, headed over as the half-time whistle brought a close to a goalless 45 minutes bossed by the hosts.

Chances continued to come for the home side at the start of the second half as Rondon, clean through in space, sliced wide - his last action before injury forced him to be replaced by Hal Robson-Kanu.

Rodriguez headed wide from Dawson's right-wing cross as the Baggies further dominated, Phillips unable to get on the end of Kieran Gibbs' ball into the box.

Robson-Kanu headed an opening at Pickford, Phillips sent a free-kick over the crossbar from just outside the penalty area and Gibbs mis-cued from 18 yards in the closing stages.

Ben Foster, who had little to do throughout, was called into heroic action late on when he stopped Oumar Niasse's drive with his feet.

Albion continued to press in added time but the match somehow ended in stalemate with a point apiece.

ALBION: Foster, Dawson, Hegazi, Evans (c), Gibbs, Barry, Phillips (McClean 88), Livermore (Krychowiak 69), Brunt, Rodriguez, Rondon (Robson-Kanu 53).

Subs: Myhill, Nyom, McAuley, Yacob.

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