Football: BARNETT RESCUES BAGGIES; Mowbray rues wasted chances.

WEST BROM 1

Barnett 49 mins

WATFORD 1

Bromby 6 mins

LEON Barnett rescued a point for Albion as Tony Mowbray's promotion-chasers slipped to second place in the Championship.

The Baggies fell behind to a first-half goal from Leigh Bromby before going onto the dominate the second period following Barnett's 48th minute equaliser.

The home side were the better side by some distance but were wasteful in front of goal. Neil Clement rattled the crossbar in first-half stoppage time with Zoltan Gera, Kevin Phillips, Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller missing a succession of chances to claim all three points.

In the end Mowbray's side had to settle for a draw, keeping both clubs in contention for automatic promotion.

But the Albion boss was far from pleased with the outcome.

"My emotion is one of disappointment," he said. "We have to give credit to Watford - they haven't got the best away record in the league for no reason.

"They've got big lads, defend their box well and get the ball forward early.

"Okay it was important not to lose the game but we felt we did enough to win it."

And once about Mowbray was bemoaning his team's inability to defend dead balls.

"I make a vow not to talk about setpieces," he added.

"Every team concedes them from set plays but for us it's a common affair.

"We did well to claw it back but we didn't do enough to win."

Albion wasted no time from the kick-off after slipping out of the top two following the earlier results. Gera should have put Albion ahead on two minutes when he sent his header wide from Jon Greening's free-kick.

But the home side found themselves down four minutes later when their setpiece frailties were exposed. Jobi McAnuff's corner fell for the unmarked John-Joe O'Toole. Dean Kiely reacted instinctively to deny the Watford midfielder only for Bromby to race in and convert the rebound.

Albion maintained their high tempo and were almost rewarded in the 17th minute when Morrison raced on to Paul Robinson's chip and burst into the area.

But Richard Lee was quick off his line to palm the ball clear as the Albion midfielder attempted to lob the ball over the Hornets' keeper.

For all of Albion's incisive football there was little end product for their efforts.

Meanwhile Watford's main threat came on the break and from set-pieces.

Kiely came to his side's rescue when he denied Tamas Priskin in the 39th minute as Albion were, once again, found wanting by a Watford free-kick. At the the other end, Albion could have levelled in stoppage time. Miller was brought down by a robust challenge on the edge of the area but Clement rattled the crossbar from the resulting free-kick.

The home side were finally rewarded for their efforts and drew level four minutes into the second half when Gera's lofted free-kick was headed home by Barnett.

And it could have been two just three minutes later when Phillips' header was saved by the impressive Lee.

Watford started to show signs of wilting and Miller's strong 60th minute run took him past Bromby but the striker's stinging shot was comfortably saved by Lee. Three minutes later a swift move opened up Watford's defence. Gera's inswinging left-wing cross was touched on by Miller into Morrison's path but the midfielder's shot was blocked by Bromby's strong challenge.

Watford were again on the back foot when Phillips' clever chip played in Miller.

The Albion striker peeled away from his marker but sent his lob straight at Lee.

The visitors responded by bringing on defender Aidy Mariappa for striker Priskin, while Chris Brunt replaced the energetic Morrison with Roman Bednar coming on for Miller.

Gera again tried his luck in the with a dipping left-footed shot which flew just wide of Lee's right-hand post. And Phillips was unfortunate in the 76th minute when he nodded the ball straight at Lee.

Shittu then came to Watford's rescue just 120 seconds later, sliding in to clear the ball as Phillips prepared to pounce six yards from goal.

Albion should have finished off an 81st minute move when Brunt's cross was nodded across the face of goal by Bednar, with Phillips failing to get the final touch.

Having been pegged back for most of the second-half Watford created little at the other end but continued to pose problems when they countered.

And Barnett twice saved Albion as Henderson threatened to go through.

With time almost up, Gera, by far Albion's most creative player, drove his low effort to the right of Lee's post.

WEST BROM: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Clement, Robinson, Gera, Koren, Greening, Morrison (Brunt 68), Miller (Bednar 74), Phillips. Not used: Kim, Moore, Pele.

WATFORD: Lee, Doyley, Shittu, Bromby, Stewart, Smith, Eustace, O'Toole (Ellington 86), McAnuff (Kabba 86), Henderson, Priskin (Mariappa 66). Not used: Poom, Sadler.

STAR MAN: Zoltan Gera.

CAPTION(S):

HEAD BOY: Albion defender Leon Barnett celebrates his equaliser; CLOSE CALL: Ishmael Miller is denied by Richard Lee; AGONY: Zoltan Gera reacts to missing a goal chance