Monday 9 February 2015 08:43, UK
Brown Ideye was the unlikely hero as West Brom came from behind to draw 2-2 against Burnley at Turf Moor.
Ashley Barnes and Danny Ings had given the hosts a 2-0 lead but Chris Brunt halved the deficit moments before the break and then Ideye - who almost left the club in the final hours of the transfer window - came off the bench to salvage a point with a 67th-minute header.
It is the second time in the last three games that Burnley have failed to take maximum points after holding a two-goal lead but they move a point clear of the relegation zone, while West Brom are now three clear of trouble.
Tony Pulis had made three changes, including dropping Saido Berahino after the young forward spoke publicly about a desire to move away from the club this summer.
The visitors could not cope with Sean Dyche’s energetic team in the first half and Scott Arfield - via a wonderful Ben Foster fingertip save - rattled the crossbar inside seven minutes.
But the home fans would have to wait only four more minutes for a goal when Ings mesmerised the West Brom defence with a sublime dummy to Arfield and then a precise cross that allowed Barnes to head home.
Berahino was thrown into the action on 17 minutes to replace an injured Victor Anichebe but he had little impact on proceedings as Burnley continued to dominate.
Ings, whose contract is up in the summer, was a constant menace in the opening period and he was on hand to double the lead on 32 minutes. Brunt allowed George Boyd to keep a ball in play down the right flank and he sent over a wonderful cross that was met first time by the striker. The ball flew into the top corner and it looked a long way back for the sloppy visitors.
However, West Brom nicked a momentum-boosting goal just before half-time when a whipped-in corner found Brunt unmarked six yards from goal and he diverted the ball into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Pulis switched his formation at the break, playing Berahino and Stephane Sessegnon just behind the substitute striker Ideye, who replaced defender Chris Baird.
The switch worked wonders as West Brom grew into the game and the pressure finally told midway through the half. Joleon Lescott had gone close from a Brunt corner just seconds before the Northern Irishman found Ideye with a pint-point delivery, the substitute losing his marker and thumping his header home.
Burnley could have regained the lead when a Jason Shackell header was cleared off the line from Lescott with nine minutes left.
Berahino was denied from close range by Burnley ‘keeper Tom Heaton at the other end but on the balance of play it was two points dropped for Burnley, one gained for the Baggies.
Player Ratings
Burnley: Heaton (6); Trippier (7), Shackell (6), Keane (7), Mee (6); Boyd (7), Jones (7), Marney (6), Arfield (6); Barnes (7), Ings (8)
Subs: Kightly (6),
West Brom: Foster (7), Baird (5), Dawson (6), McAuley (6), Lescott (7); McManaman (6), Fletcher (7), Yacob (6), Brunt (6), Sessegnon (5), Anichebe (5)
Subs: Berahino (6), Ideye (7), Morrison (6)
Man Of The Match: Danny Ings
