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West Brom logo
Premier League
Oct 25, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Crystal Palace logo

2-2

Anichebe (51'), Berahino (90' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-2)
Hangeland (16'), Jedinak (45' pen.)

Live Commentary: West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Crystal Palace - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of West Brom's 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at The Hawthorns, where Saido Berahino struck late to earn Albion a point.
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West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace played out an entertaining 2-2 Premier League draw at The Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.

In a game of two halves, Brede Hangeland gave the visitors an early lead before Yannick Bolasie won a penalty from which Mile Jedinak doubled their advantage.

However, Victor Anichebe pulled a goal back just after the break and then won a stoppage-time penalty, which Saido Berahino duly converted to earn Albion a point.

Read Sports Mole's live text coverage below to see how the action unfolded.


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Palace were poor after the interval and invited pressure on to them as the half wore on. Before the break, they'd been by far the better team and deserved their two goal advantage.

It's horribly cliche, but that really was a game of two halves. Saido Berahino's late spot kick giving his side a point which they probably deserved based on their second half showing. The introduction of Victor Anichebe gave the home side the focal point which they had been lacking before the break, and it changed the game in truth.

FULL TIME: WEST BROM 2-2 CRYSTAL PALACE

Jedinak is visibly frustrated and makes another rash tackle. He's furious with himself for conceding that spot kick.

Berahino converts, despite Hennessey guessing correctly. His penalty is hard and low, into the bottom left corner. Great strike.

GOAL FOR WEST BROM

Anchiebe bursts into the box and Jedinak dives in and concedes a penalty. Awful from the skipper with so little time left.

PENALTY FOR WEST BROM!

Bolasie looks as if he's going to get in on goal but Morrison makes a brilliant tackle to stop him.

Guedioura tries a one-two with Puncheon, but Foster is quick off his line to collect.

YELLOW CARD Sub Blanco collects a booking for a clumsy slide on Campbell.

It's gone a bit flat now, with West Brom hardly throwing everything at Palace. From their latest attack, Palace break and Guedioura shoots poorly at Foster.

Bolasie puts Lescott under pressure as the last man and almost nicks the ball to go through on goal.

Palace make a rare foray down the left and Bolasie delivers towards the back stick again. Foster claims confidently.

SUBSTITUTION FOR WEST BROM Blanco replaces Dorrans for the final 10 minutes.

YELLOW CARD Gardner picks up a booking for a late tackle.

Anichebe holds the ball up, with it landing at Berahino's feet. It loops up, and the striker pops the ball over the bar.

Kelly makes an important interception to stop Pocognoli down the left. The problem for Palace now is that they're giving the ball away too often, allowing the Baggies to just come back at them with every attempt. Can they hold on to the lead?

CLOSE West Brom break, ending with Morrison volleying a shot goal wards. It cannons off of Hangeland - who knows little about it - and Berahino fires the rebound over the top.

Puncheon shows some trickery to swing a ball in. Dawson boots it away, but it's the first time Palace have been in West Brom territory for a while.

Gardner wastes a free-kick which looked far too far out for a shot. Palace clear with ease, attempting to slow the game down every time the ball goes out of play.

Quick update on Speroni, who is on the bench now with an ice pack on his head.

SUBSTITUTION FOR CRYSTAL PALACE Chamakh departs in place of Guedioura, meaning that the formation will probably become more of a 4-5-1 for the final 20 minutes, changing from a 4-4-1-1.

Pocognoli stands a ball up towards Berahino, but he's too small to reach it! Had it been Anichebe on the end of it, it might have produced a goal.

There's far more tempo about the hosts now, and it feels as if there is going to be another goal this afternoon.

CROSSBAR Gardner nearly levels things up, taking aim from distance once more. His effort dips brilliantly over the replacement goalie, bouncing off the top for a goal kick. Close.

Berahino plays in Brunt, who flashes a ball across the box in the direction of Anichebe. Morrison collects, firing another ball back the other way. Goal kick.

YELLOW CARD Jedinak is booked for a poor, mistimed challenge on Anichebe. The crowd seem pleased with that one.

Puncheon gets involved immediately, rolling the ball to Bolasie. Unfortunately, his shot is weak and leaves Foster untroubled.

SUBSTITUTION FOR CRYSTAL PALACE Zaha's afternoon comes to an end, with Jason Puncheon taking his place.

CLOSE Jedinak fouls Berahino and the two clash after Clattenburg awards the free-kick. With everyone looking at the pair, West Brom take the free-kick quickly, allowing Dorrans to let fly from 30 yards. His strike grazes the top of the crossbar, giving Hennesseny an early warning.

An hour gone and West Brom looked understandably lifted by their goal. They're the team in the ascendancy now.

Down the other end, Anichebe collects the ball with his back to goal. He swivels and flashes a cross left-footed and out of play.

Bolasie twists and turns Wisdom down the Palace left, lifting a ball towards the back post. It's not a bad cross, despite being just too high for Campbell to latch on to.

Play resumes. Apologies for missing Anichebe coming on; the forward replaced Sessegnon during the interval.

SUBSTITUTION FOR CRYSTAL PALACE Speroni is up on his feet but is visibly shaken and Warnock chooses not to risk him, as he may be concussed. Hennessey comes on in his place.

I'm not convinced that should stand to be honest. People often moan at the protection keepers seem to get from set-pieces, but in this instance I think Dawson does clatter Speroni illegally.

Brunt swings the corner kick in, with Dawson seemingly smashing Speroni in the face with his arm. Anchiebe - who came on at half-time - meets the ball, heading into the net. Palace are not happy and their keeper is still down receiving treatment, but it doesn't appear as if the goal is to be chalked off. Game on.

GOAL TO WEST BROM

SAVE! For all Palace's intent, it's Berahino who draws the first save of the half, with Speroni diving to his left to palm around the post.

Palace take a quick corner, ending with Bolasie losing the ball and Foster booting clear.

Chamakh is really impressing me in this deeper role today. He's being used as the link between midfield and Frazier Campbell, and it seems to be working as he's showing some really nice touches.

Chamakh picks out Campbell with a very nice long ball but the striker is also just offside.

Palace press West Brom high, forcing Wisdom to play a ball which pressures Dorrans into losing it. Although he commits a foul on Bolasie, the flag was already up for offside against the winger.

Palace get us back underway, two goals to the good.

As for the hosts, I'd like to see more from all of them. They had the odd moment during the opening half, but no real pressure from which it look like they might trouble the scoreline. They're going to need a completely opposite half if they're to take anything from the game because they've been far too poor up to now.

As I said before the game - and I still maintain - I want to see a bit more from Zaha. Bolasie has been the bane of West Brom's afternoon, and I'd just like to see the winger on the other side do the same.

If Palace are to stay up this season, these are the types of games they need to win. So far, so good, and Warnock will be happy with the way they've responded to defeat last week against Chelsea.

That's not to take anything away from Palace, who have been the better side by far. Bolasie has been causing all sorts of trouble, with his crosses and shots and it was his break into the area that won them their late penalty.

Well, that was slightly unexpected. Having run United close on Monday evening, I thought West Brom would come into this game full of confidence. As it is, Daley Blind's late leveller has knocked the stuffing out of them, and they simply haven't turned up this afternoon.

HALF TIME: WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0-2 CRYSTAL PALACE

YELLOW CARD Sessegnon is booked for a tug on Jedinak as the half comes to a close.

This time Palace do get a penalty, and it's definite as Pocognoli scathes down Bolasie. The linesman gives it instantly and he can have few complaints. Captain Jedinak steps up, dispatching confidently as Foster dives the wrong way. 2-0 to the visitors.

GOAL TO CRYSTAL PALCE

PENALTY TO CRYSTAL PALCE

Gardner takes another pop from distance, skewing an effort well wide. He believes it's because Jedinak upended him but Clattenburg is not interested.

Lescott and Campbell clash in the air and there is some suggestion that the defender leads with his arm. The crowd aren't having that however, as boos wring around The Hawthorns.

West Brom play a short corner, with the ball going back to Morrison. However, the cross is poor and Speroni is able to usher it out.

It certainly looks a penalty to me. Zaha wriggles the ball past Dawson, who literally just upends him. A really strange case in that not one player argued the call.

Zaha goes down and I think he has a strong case for a penalty. Nobody seems to ask for it, despite it looking like a clear trip.

CLOSE! Brunt delivers a dangerous chip towards the back post with his left foot. Speroni is beaten, watching as the ball sails just wide. Had someone been there for the Baggies, they'd have had a tap in to equalise.

Wisdom goes down the right, smashing a cross off of Kelly. The ball bounces back to him so he attempts another cross and it results in Palace conceding a corner.

We've retreated to a state now where not much is going on. West Brom are having much of the ball, but only between their own defenders and with very little emphasis on going forward.

Sessegnon picks the ball up and takes on Jedinak. After beating him, he lashes a shot from distance, only to see it blocked by the opening goalscorer. Perhaps he just fancied a crack from range after his wonderful goal against Manchester United on Monday!

CLOSE! Palace break after a brilliant challenge from Chamakh in central midfield. He slips in Bolasie, who takes on Wisdom and whips the ball across the face. Campbell almost gets his toe on it but it evades both he and Lescott and Foster can collect it. Unlucky.

Campbell tests Foster from distance after Bolasie had hunted down Wisdom.

CLOSE! Speroni saves excellently from a good long-range effort from Gardner. From the corner, the Palace keeper flaps and Dorrans picks up the ball. Although he has plenty of goal to aim for, the midfielder blazes high and wide.

On review of that Hangeland goal, Foster was really blocked off by a number of players who had gathered in the box. He had no chance.

Gardner becomes the next West Brom player to escape a yellow card for a poor tackle. This leniency will surely be annoying Mr Warnock down on the touchline!

You have to say that Palace deserve that goal, based on their start. They were hardly "all out attack", but they'd certainly made a more positive opening than the home side.

And it's Brede Hangeland with the opener! The defender rises highest from the corner kick, but his header bounces off of Lescott's back. With the big Norwegian falling, he manages to smash the rebound in from inside the six-yard box.

GOAL TO CRYSTAL PALACE

From the resulting free-kick, Ledley swings the ball in towards Bolasie, and Foster tips his header over, despite it's relative poor power.

Zaha attacks Pocognoli twice in 30 seconds, with the Swiss defending first blocking him off and then tripping him up. That's a warning - next time he'll certainly be booked.

Palace on the front foot again, with Campbell playing in Zaha. He doesn't take the full-back on in the way some people might have liked, instead delivering a poor cross which Bolasie only just keeps in play on the other side.

Bolasie takes position on the left again, cutting inside and shaping a shot. His effort is high, but he certainly looks a threat in these early stages.

Jedinak goes down with a grimace after a tackle from Sessegnon. The Australian will be fine, and the pair - who are around a foot different in height - shake hands and continue.

Palace attack down the left, with Campbell feeding Bolasie and the winger breaks into the box. The angle is acute so there's no shot on, meaning that his attempted cross can be blocked by Dawson.

Wisdom tries to get in down the right and cross the ball, but Hangeland clears with ease. From the next attack, Morrison's cross flies over everyone.

Slow start to the game here to be honest, with neither side controlling possession as yet.

Gardner commits an early foul in the centre circle. Jedinak takes the set-piece, aiming for the head of Chamakh. Although the Moroccan wins the ball, it's easy for Foster to gather up.

KICK OFF! West Brom get us started, wearing their home strip of white shirts, navy shorts and socks. Palace also wear their traditional red and blue stripes.

Mark Clattenburg is the man with the whistle this afternoon - I wonder if Warnock will have an opinion on him come the end of 90 minutes?

Ok, we're five minutes away from kick-off here, and the sides are lining up in the tunnel and look ready for action!

West Brom will take heart from their draw with United last Monday night. They scored two exceptional goals through Berahino and Stephan Sessegnon and their defensive additions in Joleon Lescott and Andre Wisdom both look very comfortable. When Irvine was appointed before the season, I had a bad feeling things wouldn't work out for them - even the gaffer himself has admitted that he might not have been the most popular choice! But they've looked pretty good in the times I have watched them this season and I think they'll be fine come the end of it.

Prediction: I think that I am inclined to agree with both Matt and Barney here in terms of this one ending up in victory for the hosts. However, I do think West Brom will score more than once, and I'm also pretty confident that Berahino will add to his tally as well. Having said that, my prediction for last week was that Sunderland were capable of nicking a point at Southampton, and we all know how that one worked out!

Anyway, back to this one, and the lads on the Sports Mole panel previewed this contest earlier in the week, with both guys tipping the Baggies to win the game by a goal to nil.

UPDATE: In the early kick-off, West Ham have caused an upset by defeating Manchester City 2-1 at Upton Park. Goals from former-Baggie Morgan Amalfitano and star striker Diafra Sakho gave the Hammers a two goal lead, before a wonder-goal from David Silva handed City late hope. In the end, West Ham hung on but it was a brilliant game for the neutrals and they consolidate fourth place in the table!

Zaha is an interesting player in my opinion. His move to Manchester United didn't pan out how he would have liked, and he certainly showed a couple of flashes of his talent while on loan at Cardiff City last season. But it feels as if Palace is where he feels most comfortable, and his jink past Felipe Luis last Saturday was an exceptional piece of skill. I'd like to see Palace feed him the ball as often as possible today in order to allow him to dictate their attacking play.

James McArthur is also unavailable for Palace and is replaced by Wilfried Zaha - who skillfully set up their only goal for Frazier Campbell against Chelsea last weekend. Warnock's final change is to bring Marouane Chamakh into the 11, partnering Campbell up front. Jason Puncheon makes way.

For the visitors, Adrian Mariappa comes into the lineup to replace the suspended Damien Delaney, who was dismissed for two bookings against Chelsea. Warnock was charged by the FA for misconduct for his comments against referee Craig Pawson, as he felt the decision to send Delaney off was a poor when compared to an incident John Terry didn't get booked for shortly before.

Claudio Yacob, Silvestre Varela and Jonas Olsson are all still sidelined for the hosts, and Youssouf Mulumbu must settle with a place amongst the substitutes again.

Keeper Ben Foster comes back into the West Brom team in place of Boaz Myhill, who was between the sticks for the draw with United. Foster injured himself in training the week before last but has recovered in time to retake his place.

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Ward, Mariappa, Kelly, Hangeland; Bolasie, Jedinak, Zaha, Ledley; Chamakh, Campbell.

Subs: Hennessey, Fryers, Guedioura, Bannan, Puncheon, Doyle, Gayle.


West Brom: Foster; Wisdom, Dawson, Lescott, Pocognoli; Sessegnon, Dorrans, Gardner, Morrison, Brunt; Berahino.

Subs: Myhill, Gamboa, McAuley, Mulumbu, Blanco, Anichebe, Ideye.


The teams have been announced, so let's take a look...

As stated, Palace lost at Selhurst Park last weekend to a rampant Chelsea side, but they also lost before the international break away at Hull City. Although they're on their travels again today, they're more than capable of taking something from this one, as a win at Everton last month proved.

In truth, West Brom have responded well to some pretty tricky fixtures in the last few weeks, picking up a decent total of seven points from games against Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley, Liverpool and United. The form of striker Saido Berahino has been the high-point of their season so far, and the marksman will be keen to find the scoresheet again today as he bids to win a place in the England squad.

The two teams boast just two wins each so far in the league this season, with new managers Alan Irvine and Neil Warnock still seemingly finding their groove.

Both sides failed to win their matches which followed the international break last weekend, with Palace losing 2-1 at home to Chelsea on Saturday before the Baggies drew with Manchester United on Monday night.

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the Premier League clash between West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace here on Sports Mole.

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