ALBION 0 WEST BROM 0

Nothing against Dan Burn and his highly encouraging Albion debut.

But Chris Hughton would rather not have seen one of his defenders pick up man-of-the-match honours at home to a much-changed, youthful Championship side.

Even from a club as traditionally strong as West Bromwich Albion.

Make no mistake, the Albion manager was delighted for his centre-back, a player he identified some time ago as having a bit about him.

But, on this occasion, he wanted someone at the other end of the pitch to grab the limelight.

Burn, he suggested, should not have had so much defending to do.

He will probably get another chance to impress at The Hawthorns next midweek.

A year on from helping Wigan knock out Manchester City at this stage of the FA Cup, Burn made some impressive interventions as the game became very stretched in the second half.

He was composed on the ball, always looked to use it rather than just get it away, and assertive in tackles and headed duels.

When he pulled off one key tackle and forced a goal-kick into the bargain, he got up to roar in delight and punch the air. The crowd loved it. Good old-fashioned centre-back stuff.

Burn’s nomination as the sponsors’ man of the match was well received by the crowd.

Even though it gave a rather skewed impression of a contest the home side dominated, certainly in terms of meaningful possession, attacks and attempts on goal.

Burn and his defence were not exactly under siege, but they had to be alert in the second half as both sides chased a winner.

The FA Cup is still about glory but also, these days, largely about players getting chances to impress when they are not playing league games.

Burn, who has gone from being a Championship regular at Wigan to out of the matchday squad with Albion, took his.

Hughton said: “I thought he did very well and probably the disappointment was that he had to, particularly in the second half.

“For somebody of his size, he’s got good pace. He’s a player we took from Wigan but I’ve known about him for many years. He was at Fulham before and I remember him well from that time.”

Lewis Dunk, Shane Duffy and Connor Goldson have all made progress as centre-backs at Albion in recent seasons.

Hughton said: “You never know the level of a player until you play at that level. With Shane and Dunky, they are two players who have developed over this period of time.

“At the moment we haven’t seen that with Dan because all we’ve seen is how he’s done elsewhere.

“But we’ve now had the opportunity to see him in training, what we saw today, and from that aspect he’s done himself no harm at all.”

Viktor Gyokeres was another to accept his chance.

Several under-23s have gone out on loan this month, the latest being Anders Dreyer to St Mirren on Saturday.

But Gyokeres, a forceful forward recently capped by Sweden, will not be one of them.

He added a spark after going on as sub, testing Jonathan Bond after cutting in from the right and seeing a late effort deflect into the side-netting.

Hughton said: “He’s training with the first team at the minute regularly. He went on in the last game (at Bournemouth in the third round) and I uhmmed and ahhed at what point to bring him on today.

“The effect I wanted from him, he gave us. I’m pleased for him. He’s a player who has done well.

“He made his debut for the Sweden senior team, albeit in a training camp. But yes, he can certainly add something to the squad.”

Any more silver linings? Well, the crowd figure, the fact a fingertip save by David Button and a great tackle by last defender Martin Montoya when faced by two counter-attackers prevented an embarrassing defeat to a West Brom side showing nine changes from their recent league win at Bolton.

And the likelihood that those who want game time will get some more in the Black Country.

But Albion wasted a golden chance to get into tonight’s fifth round draw without having to share ball No.5 with the Baggies.

They struggled to get in behind West Brom and, apart from one wicked inswinger from Anthony Knockaert which Duffy almost met, lacked their usual set-piece menace.

Too often, faced by a massed defence, they needed a touch too many or a second too long on the ball.

Their goal attempts tended to come from outside the box but there were enough moments in which they might have forced a verdict.

Florin Andone was beaten to the ball by Tosin Adarabioyo, West Brom’s excellent young centre-back on loan from Manchester City, when Bond dropped Beram Kayal’s blast invitingly in front of goal.

The same striker mis-kicked after being carefully teed up by Bruno after a nice move.

In the second half, Bruno did similar for Dale Stephens, whose effort from well outside the box was touched on to his upright by the stretching Bond.

Hughton felt video ref Stuart Attwell should have seen Kyle Bartley hold Jurgen Locadia back as he tried to get to the subsequent rebound.

Glenn Murray had a left-foot shot well saved by Bond after the most astute pass Knockaert produced all afternoon.

West Brom? They used some young players, were well organised and saw Adarabioyo’s header from a far-post free-kick hit the bar via Button’s feint touch.

Their goal is to follow Burn in stepping up from Championship to Premier League.

But they might fancy their cup chances in the replay.