Match Reports

Bristol City 0-0 Albion

An image of Semi Ajayi playing against Bristol City

Albion returned from the international break with a 0-0 draw at Bristol City on Saturday afternoon.

It was the classic ‘game of two halves’ as the Robins dominated most of the first period, while the Baggies did the same in the second half – both without scoring.

Carlos Corberán’s men are in action again this Wednesday, travelling to Watford for another Sky Bet Championship clash.

The boss made two changes to his starting XI, bringing Erik Pieters and Semi Ajayi back in for Conor Townsend and Kyle Bartley.

His side had to withstand some heavy Bristol City pressure for most of the first half – Nahki Wells seeing one shot blocked and another go wide early on, before Jason Knight and Kal Naismith both curled over.

The hosts’ biggest chance came when Mark Sykes was gifted the ball in Albion’s penalty area, however he could only divert his finish from a tight angle onto the post.

Towards the end of the period the Baggies did create their own opportunities, Brandon Thomas-Asante denied by a heroic last-ditch tackle when through on goal and Matty Phillips curling an effort over, but it was goalless at the break.

Though they were perhaps fortunate to be level as the game restarted for the second half, Albion were more positive in the second 45 despite not initially creating many clear-cut openings.

The introduction of Josh Maja – alongside Conor Townsend and, later, Alex Mowatt –helped the Baggies put constant pressure on City for large parts of the half.

Albion had two huge chances to win it in the final 10 minutes, first John Swift hitting the crossbar via a header, and then Townsend side-footing narrowly wide inside the area.

In a busy finale, the Baggies had Alex Palmer to thank late on for keeping it level, the goalkeeper brilliantly denying Harry Cornick with his legs.

Corberán's men also saw a stoppage time penalty shout involving Maja waved away by the referee, ensuring it finished 0-0 in Bristol.

Albion: Palmer; Ajayi, Kipre, Pieters; Furlong, Yokuslu (Mowatt 75), Molumby, Phillips (Townsend 66); Wallace (Maja 66), Thomas-Asante (Sarmiento 83), Swift (Diangana 83).

Substitutes: Griffiths, Bartley, Pipa, Chalobah.

Attendance: 21,836 (2,550).