Albion 1 West Brom 1

Albion have their first home point of the season but it will give them little real cause for satisfaction.

The Seagulls were pegged back after being gifted the lead by Jake Livermore’s own goal just before the break.

In the end, a firmly hit leveller by ex-Crawley forward Karlan Grant was the least the Baggies merited for their second-half performance.

It was all very underwhelming after a first period in which the Seagulls played some nice stuff and deserved their lead.

Graham Potter made just the one enforced change to the XI which kicked off the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

Joel Veltman was the pick to replace the suspended Lewis Dunk, who was watching from the stand as he began his three-match absence.

Veltman was in the middle of a back three, with skipper Adam Webster to his right and Dan Burn the left as Ben White remained in midfield.

As widely expected, Danny Welbeck was among the subs.

West Brom’s only change was at the back as Semi Ajai replaced Ahmed Hegazi, who has joined Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad.

There was a clear early warning for Albion when the Baggies cleverly got Grady Diangana in behind the defence and in on goal.

Matheus Pereira’s chipped pass was perfect but Diangana’s first touch less so, taking him away from goal and giving defenders time to scramble back.

That capped a bright opening by the visitors.

Their hosts’ response was some nice passing and movement around the edge of the box which ended when an offside Maupay volleyed home Lallana’s chipped ball in.

The Frenchman really should have scored, though, midway through the first half.

Albion stitched together their best move so far, with Leandro Trossard playing a big part.

Lallana, who might have shot himself, set up Maupay, whose shot was saved by Sam Johnstone’s foot.

Maupay had another chance when Dan Burn drove at the defence and drew opponents before releasing Solly March to his left.

March’s low cross picked out Maupay, who seemed to get the ball caught up in his feet and did not get a shot away.

Maupay would have preferred the ball in front of him but it was, all the same, decent delivery from March and certainly a presentable chance.

Trossard had options either side when he then tried a shot from outside the box, Johnstone holding his effort with no worries.

Johnstone was rather more alarmed a couple of minutes later when he hurriedly stuck up his right hand to parry another Trossard blast as the Belgian ran at defenders.

The pressure was building and Albion deserved the lead they took in the 40th minute, even though there was some good fortune about it.

Not for the first time, Burn showed good footwork in the build-up. Trossard spread the play, Lallana’s shot was blocked in front of goal, Lamptey slid the ball back in towards Maupay and a last-ditch clearance by Branislav Ivanovic crashed against Livermore before bouncing in.

The Baggies responded well to that setback either side of the interval and might have been level early in the second half.

Conor Gallagher’s drive was well struck, on target and certainly worrying Maty Ryan as he dived to his right.

But Veltman got in the way and made the sort of important block we have seen so often from Dunk.

Although March had a shot saved by Johnstone above his head, the opening stages of the second half were mainly about Albion having to be strong and alert at the back.

Webster was among those to make timely clearances and White back-tracked to pull off an excellent interception as Gallagher pulled the ball back for Pereira.

Lallana made way on the hour, replaced by a man with great memories of this fixture from three years ago in Pascal Gross.

READ MORE: Why Lallana only played an hour

The Baggies made two switches as Callum Robinson and Kyle Edwards entered the action.

Pereira might have brought them level from the edge of the box but his left-foot shot eventually curled some way wide.

When Filip Krovinovic did get one on target, and with plenty of power, Ryan moved to his right to parry.

Alexis Mac Allister was next on for Albion, replacing March with Burn moving to left-back on a four.

READ MORE: Mac Allister left out by Argentina

It was no exaggeration to say the hosts were hanging on and Pereira’s next left-foot curler from the edge of the box kissed the outside of the post on its way wide as Ryan watched.

The need for better retention of the ball led to Steven Alzate going on as the third sub, for Trossard.

READ MORE: Webster relives moment which cost Seagulls two points

The Baggies, though, drew level when a ball in from the right by Robinson flicked off Webster and fell for Grant to take a touch and blast his shot past Ryan.

Albion: Ryan; Webster, Veltman, Burn; Lamptey, White, Bissouma, March (Mac Allister 70); Lallana (Gross 61), Trossard (Alzate 79), Maupay. Subs: Steele, Bernardo, Welbeck, Connolly.

Goal: Livermore og 40.

Yellow card: Lamptey (42) foul, Webster (77) foul.

West Brom: Johnstone; Furlong, Ivanovic, Ajayi, Townsend; Livermore (Robinson 63); Gallagher, Krovinovic, Pereira, Diangana (Edwards 63); Grant (Phillips 84). Subs: Button, Gibbs, Bartley, Harper.

Goal: Grant 83.

Referee: Jon Moss (VAR Martin Atkinson)