Hatters increase the pressure on West Brom boss Bruce with Hawthorns stalemate

Luton heaped even more pressure on West Bromwich Albion boss Steve Bruce with a goalless draw at the Hawthorns this afternoon.

The Baggies chief’s position had been under massive scrutiny going into the game, and that only increased the longer the match wore on, as his is surely hanging on to his job by the merest of threads now.

For Luton manager Nathan Jones, he was able to reflect on a fifth game unbeaten, as despite the situation in West Midlands, a point away to a side who were playing Premier League football two season ago is never to be sniffed at.

The Town chief made one change to the team that drew 3-3 with Huddersfield Town in midweek, captain Sonny Bradley replacing Fred Onyedinma, to drop into the centre of Town's back three, with James Bree returning to his wing-back role.

The visitors bench looked far stronger than it had on Tuesday night as well, Luke Berry and Luke Freeman both named among the substitutes.

Knowing the hosts were having a tough time of it, particularly when it came to conceding goals inside the opening 15 minutes, Luton might have added to that stat, but Carlton Morris's pass was just behind Elijah Adebayo.

The opening moments had opportunities at both ends though, home striker Brandon Thomas-Asante sliding in to divert narrowly wide from close range and then Martin Kelly's downward header from a corner off target.

Bradley was having a tough time of it early on, as he looked to get back into the swing of things in the heart of Luton's defence, making just his second start in near enough two months, Jed Wallace taking him on to have an angled drive gathered by Ethan Horvath at the second attempt.

Town then upped their efforts, Bree's excellent cross just in front of Adebayo, before from an excellent corner routine that saw Bradley block the Albion defence for Henri Lansbury to pick out Dan Potts, his header was on its way in until Okay Yokuslu, stationed on the line, cleared behind.

Thomas-Asante was looking the hosts' most likely source of a goal, as midway through the half, with Luton clearing their lines from a corner, the follow up shot landed at the feet of the ex-Salford City frontman who swivelled and fired against the outside of the post.

Luton then went close on 32 minutes, with a move started from Bradley, involving Lansbury and Adebayo, that went straight through the middle of the Baggies' defence, ending with Morris blasting into the side-netting.

Just seconds into the second period, Horvath was called on to keep the scores goalless, as the dangerous Thomas-Asante burrowed forward, finding Conor Townsend to his left, with Town's USA international sticking out an important right hand to palm his drive behind at his near post.

The hosts threatened again from a corner, Dara O'Shea stooping to loop his header over as on the whole, Luton looked to have cured their defensive woes from set-pieces that blighted them in midweek.

Growing into the game again, the Hatters then went mightily close on 65 minutes, as Clark drove forward and teed up Adebayo in the box, his sidefooted attempt taking a huge deflection that saw an alert Palmer backpedal and tip over.

Jones brought on Harry Cornick for Morris with 21 minutes to go, and moments later, Town might have made far more of a decent situation, the ball breaking to Adebayo some 25 yards out, but with Clark in acres of space to his left, he went for a first-time side-footer that dribbled tamely through to Palmer.

Home winger Jed Wallace almost showed Luton's forward how it was done moments later, taking aim outside the box himself, only for it to curl behind.,

The Hatters should really have taken the lead on 79 minutes, a long throw by Cornick bouncing kindly at the feet of Potts, but he could only slice his volley, taking all the power off it for Palmer to pluck out of the air, the defender's expression showing he knew just what an golden opportunity it was.

Home manager Bruce opted to take off Thomas-Asante and Diangana to howls of derision from the home fans, as the atmosphere inside the stadium, which had been fairly supportive, suddenly took on a toxic air for the final 10 minutes, with chants against the former Newcastle and the club’s board.

Despite the change, plus Luton bringing on Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Fred Onyedinma, neither side could force a winner, as Town weren’t quite able to equal a club record of four straight second tier wins that stretched back to the 1981-82 campaign.

Baggies: Alex Palmer, Dara O'Shea, Martin Kelly, Erik Pieters, Matt Phillips (Taylor Gardner-Hickman 86), Jake Livermore (C), Okay Yokuslu, Conor Townsend, Jed Wallace, Brandon Thomas-Asante (Karlan Grant 82), Grady Diangana (John Swift 82).

Subs not used: David Button, Adam Reach, Jayson Molumby, Tom Rogic.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley, Dan Potts (C), Amari'i Bell, Henri Lansbury (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 86), Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark, Carlton Morris (Harry Cornick 70), Elijah Adebayo (Fred Onyedinma 89).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Alfie Doughty, Luke Berry, Luke Freeman.

Referee: David Webb.

Booked: Bradley 56, Yokuslu 59.

Attendance: 21,550 (1,385 Hatters).