Steve Bruce’s first home game as West Brom boss ends in Blackburn stalemate

Steve Bruce’s first home game in charge of West Brom ended in a 0-0 draw against promotion-chasing rivals Blackburn at The Hawthorns.

Bruce, 61, enjoyed a warm reception from the home supporters but he was reminded how difficult his task will be after his side failed to break down a determined Rovers side.

West Brom had the better of the chances as goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski denied Andy Carroll, while Adam Reach was foiled by a desperate clearance from Tyrhys Dolan near the end.

Blackburn – who remain third in the Sky Bet Championship, four points behind the automatic promotion places – were forced into a change before kick-off.

Centre-back Daniel Ayala was ruled out with a calf injury and Joe Rankin-Costello was promoted from the bench, with James Brown making up the substitutes.

Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz had the ball in the net in the sixth minute but he was clearly offside and action was thin on the ground as both teams struggled to create chances in the first half.

Karlan Grant was inches away from converting Darnell Furlong’s cross for eighth-placed Albion at the far post as he slid in.

The Baggies created the first on-target chance when Carroll forced Kaminski to palm away an angled drive after cutting inside when the goalkeeper should really have held the ball.

Furlong was next to threaten but his free-kick went the wrong side of the side-netting as he tried to surprise Kaminski.

Another Albion free-kick, this time swung in by Alex Mowatt, was headed comfortably over the bar by Matt Clarke.

Blackburn failed to create anything in the first half, although it took a vital diving header from Furlong to clear the danger from Rankin-Costello’s cross, with Sam Gallagher shaping to shoot.

Albion had the ball in the