“Whatever we said this week wasn’t going to wear. The energy levels we had on Sunday weren’t good enough and we needed to show today that when we get some rest we ain’t a bad team.”
It had all looked so promising with a goal after eight minutes of breathtaking simplicity.
Papiss Cissé’s cross from the left should have been claimed by Ben Foster but Yoan Gouffran jumped without opposition to head into the unguarded net.
Albion were fortunate not to fall further behind as the visitors dominated. Yohan Cabaye sent a shot just over and Steven Taylor almost capitalised on more sleepy defending but Foster was alert.
Steve Clarke’s players looked like they were desperate for the season to end. They are on course to secure their highest ever Premier League finish but with no chance of relegation and a European place looking out of reach, this is a strange period.
The home team’s frustration only grew in injury time when Jones was fouled in the area by James Perch but Mike Jones, the referee, claimed the challenge had been made outside. Whether it was even a foul was debatable, but from the free-kick Goran Popov summed up West Brom’s first-half performance by slicing his shot out for a throw-in.
Albion needed the hairdryer treatment and their second-half performance suggested the home dressing room walls will require a new paint job.
Newcastle survived further scares early on when Rob Elliot spilt Marc-Antoine Fortuné’s shot but substitute Shane Long could not direct the ball home. Romelu Lukaku then headed a Chris Brunt corner against the bar.
But their pressure was finally rewarded in the 64th minute when Jones cut inside the area and drew Elliot before sliding home the equaliser. Elliot saved well from James Morrison late on but Albion – with three wins in 14 games – could not find a winner.
Clarke said: “You could tell we haven’t played many games recently and it’s difficult chasing a game at this level but the changes we made paid off.”
Match details
West Brom (4-4-2): Foster; Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Popov; Dorrans, Yacob (Long half-time), Morrison, Brunt; Lukaku (Thomas 90), Fortuné (Rosenberg 90).
Substitutes not used: Myhill (gk), Roofe, Reid, Ridgewell.
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Elliot; Debuchy, S.Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara (Ben Arfa 77); Perch, Cabaye (Gosling 90); Gouffran (Shola Ameobi 69), Sissoko, Gutierrez; Cisse.
Substitutes not used: Harper (gk), Williamson, Anita, Campbell.
Booked: Cabaye, Sissoko.
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Attendance: 25,671
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