West Brom 1-1 Stoke: Lynden Gooch secures point for managerless Potters… but the Championship strugglers are denied all three points after Brandon Thomas-Asante’s equaliser

No one seems quite sure which way Stoke City will go in their next managerial appointment, but they arrived at West Brom aiming to make a point and that is exactly what they left with.

The struggling Potters made the short trip to the Black Country to take on a promotion-chasing Baggies side in their second match since knocking out Alex Neil.

Right-back Lynden Gooch found the net in the 12th minute with an evil cross shot that flew over Baggies goalkeeper Alex Palmer and into the far corner.

Whether he meant it or not was up for debate, but it didn't matter as Stoke led, much to the delight of their raucous travel support.

Carlos Corberan's hosts equalized in the 35th minute with a clinically executed shot from Brandon Thomas-Asante, but neither side could find a winner as Stoke showed impressive spirit to keep Albion at bay.

Neil was sacked after last weekend's home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday and the Potters are under pressure to get the next appointment right.

There are all kinds of names linked, including Paul Heckingbottom, Nuno Espirito Santo and Slavisa Jokanovic, but former Stoke midfielder and England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley appear to be the favourites.

The Potters have had a tough time since their ten-year stay in the Premier League ended in 2018.

Five dismal seasons in the championship followed, with finishes of 16th, 15th, 14th, 14th and 16th respectively.

A club that bled the noses of English football's biggest clubs under Tony Pulis and then Mark Hughes has become a byword for mediocrity and underachievement.

Whoever replaces Neil will be Stoke's fifth manager since the demise of the Premier League, following the leadership of Gary Rowett, Nathan Jones, Michael O'Neill and the deeply unpopular Neil.

Paul Gallagher was given the interim charge for Tuesday's 1-1 draw at home to Swansea and he put in an encouraging performance here at the Hawthorns.

Fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham and Huddersfield took points yesterday, so this derby clash had become extra important for Stoke.

The Baggies are serious promotion candidates and asked plenty of questions to their visitors during the first 45 minutes.

In the eighth minute, Grady Diangana beat Stoke midfielder Wouter Burger and crossed to the far post where Jeremy Sarmiento smashed over the bar.

Albion's neat football started to pin Stoke back but the visitors scored out of nowhere in the 12th minute when the ball was cleared to Gooch on the right flank.

He looked headed for the far post but his delivery was overcooked and flew over Palmer and into the top left corner of Albion's net.

That gave confidence to Stoke, who threatened to counter-attack two minutes later when Citizen Ryan found Mmaee and his low shot was deflected into a corner.

But Albion remained largely dominant and Potters goalkeeper Jack Bonham made a brilliant save to keep out Sarimento's curling right-foot shot.

The Baggies continued to increase the pace and were rewarded in the 35th minute when captain Jed Wallace's neat pass played into Darnell Furlong inside the 18-yard box.

His low cross from the right line found oke Yokuslu and although his shot was blocked, the ball fell invitingly to Thomas-Asante and he fired in a brilliant shot from twelve yards that flew into the net.

Albion generally had the upper hand and in the 66th minute Wallace hit a fierce shot that looked destined for the top corner before Stoke defender Michael Rose scored a superb header.

Seven minutes later, Rose produced a superb saving tackle to deny Baggies substitute Tom Fellows after breaking clear into the visitors' penalty area.

Potters captain Josh Laurent then hit a powerful right-foot shot from 18 yards which Cedric Kipre diverted for a corner.

With eight minutes to go, Laurent had another chance, but he shot over from the penalty area when he should have done better.

Albion almost claimed victory in the 85th minute when Wallace's inswinging throw was fired home by Thomas-Asante, with Bonham making a fine save to deny his deft touch.

Moments later, Albion defender Kyle Bartley headed home Wallace's cross again at the far post, but he was in an offside position and the home party was quickly over.

Bonham then excelled in the closing stages as he parried Pipa's left-foot strike from twelve yards out, with the visiting fans clearly delighted at the final whistle with their side's performance.