Sheffield United returned to the top of the Championship but had to settle for a point as Tom Fellows’ second-half equaliser earned West Brom a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns.
The Blades moved a point ahead of Leeds as they extended their unbeaten run to eight matches, while the Baggies drew for the 10th time in 11 games.
Torbjorn Heggem nodded in his first goal of the season to give West Brom a deserved lead, but United turned the game around with two goals inside 98 seconds courtesy of Callum O’Hare and Tyrese Campbell to take a half-time lead.
West Brom have not lost since a defeat to Middlesbrough at the start of October, but that run was in danger until Fellows’ deflected effort sent both sides home with a point.
Baggies boss Carlos Corberan brought Callum Styles, Jayson Molumby and Mikey Johnston into the side in place of Mason Holgate, Uros Racic and Lewis Dobbin, while the suspended Harry Souttar was replaced by Femi Seriki in Chris Wilder’s enforced change.
The hosts registered their first shot on target when Johnston decided to test Michael Cooper from distance with an effort that was straight at the keeper.
The Baggies made their early pressure count with the opening goal.
The Blades just about dealt with an initial corner, but Heggem jumped highest to meet Alex Mowatt’s second in-swinging delivery with a header that nestled in the far corner.
United were on the ropes and were in danger of going two down as Karlan Grant found himself with space but aimed straight at Cooper.
United momentarily thought they had a penalty when Jesurun Rak-Sakyi seemingly went down under the challenge of Molumby, but referee David Webb pointed the other way and handed the Blades winger a yellow card for simulation.
Against the run of play United grabbed an equaliser as Heggem’s attempt to clear Harrison Burrows’ cross came off Kyle Bartley and landed kindly for O’Hare to poke home.
They turned the game on its head less than two minutes later. Burrows was once again the provider with a similar cross to the first goal, but this time he found the onrushing Campbell to divert the ball home from close range.
Gustavo Hamer’s piece of brilliance in the middle of the pitch fashioned an opportunity for Campbell, who was denied by the fingertips of Alex Palmer to stop the Blades from going further ahead.
West Brom were on level terms just after the hour mark when Fellows cut inside and his strike bounced off Hamer and looped over Cooper to make it 2-2.
Rak-Sakyi continued to cause problems for the hosts. He used his pace on the counter-attack but fired his shot straight at Palmer.
Neither side pulled any punches in search of a winner, but they had to settle for a share of the spoils to continue their respective unbeaten runs.
The managers
West Brom’s Carlos Corberan:
“When the results are not good it can be difficult to believe in the coach. When they are good, they think you’re a genius.
“This group of players, they have something which is special, the don’t find excuses. When I came to this club two years ago we have faced difficulties, but this team have never stopped fighting.
“This year with limitations we are competing a lot. In front of the difficult moments we are not making excuses.
“When things are not working well the easy way is to find an excuse. Some of these players have big personalities to keep growing and use these difficult moments to improve.”
Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder:
“That’s arguably our best result of the season.
“At one stage we had six U22 players on the pitch and they’re learning at the top of the division.
“This (West Brom) is a big test for us, fabulous club, great squad of players and front four right up there.
“Their record this season, (they) are probably a little bit disappointed not turn some draws into wins, but they were aggressive on the press and put us on the back foot from the off and (it was) a massive test for us.
“(We were) a little bit naive at times, gung ho. I need to temper that a little bit and teach them, but what I don’t want to take away is their ambition and personality to get a result.”
Source : Sky Sports
