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Colin Harvey at Daily Star |
West Brom (0) 1 Fulham (1) 1
Fulham will be ruing Maarten Stekelenburg's late blunder as they gifted West Brom a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns.
The visitors appeared poised to finally lift themselves off the foot of the Barclays Premier League on the back of Ashkan Dejagah's first-half strike at The Hawthorns.
But, just four minutes from time, Stekelenburg fluffed a 10-yard drive from 75th-minute substitute Matej Vydra.
Despite the Dutchman's strenuous efforts to stop the ball crossing the line, referee Mike Dean was aided by the goal decision system, handing Albion their fourth consecutive home draw under new manager Pepe Mel after going behind.
But it is now six matches without a win for Mel, who has seen his side come from a goal down against Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea and now Fulham, but the Spaniard will know draws are not going to keep the Baggies in the top flight.
As for Magath, the 60-year-old - the first German to manage in the Premier League - had seen Stekelenburg produce a number of superb saves to keep Fulham in front after the break, only to suffer the late heartbreak that kept the Cottagers rooted at the bottom.
As opening 45 minutes go for a new manager, though, Magath could not have asked for too much more from his players - certainly not in terms of work ethic.
Fulham deservedly led at the break courtesy of a fine strike from Dejagah, and could have added more but for some wayward finishing and a couple of excellent saves from Ben Foster.
With Albion pressing, Vydra finally conjured the equaliser, and there could have been a winner in stoppage time, only for Stekelenburg to redeem himself with a stunning save to deny Brunt.
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