Sympathy but little else for Bowyer
SLAVEN BILIC called on West Brom to be more ruthless after they stumbled in the race for automatic promotion.
The Baggies’ advantage over in-form Brentford was cut to three points after they were held to a draw at Blackburn.
Bilic admitted hearing the Bees had just won their seventh game on the trot earlier in the day against Derby added to the pressure on his side.
But they could have blown away Blackburn long before Rovers substitute Joe Rothwell cancelled out Filip Krovinovic’s first-half strike for the visitors at Ewood Park.
“In the second half we created so many chances, you don’t create that number of not good but great chances and not score again,” said West Brom boss Bilic.
“If you don’t score them there is always a possibility against a team of this quality that you can concede.
“We just have to score goals, we have to kill the game off. Unfortunately we didn’t.”
Kamil Grosicki was first to waste a chance as his early strike was saved by Christian Walton in the Blackburn goal.
Matheus Pereira provided for former Burnley striker Charlie Austin soon after but Walton saved again.
The breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute as Austin switched roles to assist Krovinovic and the Croatian found the net.
Danny Graham, who was on the scoresheet for Blackburn in mid-week against Cardiff, should have pulled Rovers level before the break – but headed straight at Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone.
Krovinovic was left red-faced following the restart when he hit the post after Walton denied Pereira with a good save.
The promotion chasers ended the game with 17 shots and nine of them on target but only found the net once and Blackburn made them pay.
Rovers boss Tony Mowbray made four changes at once just after the hour mark – and within two minutes two of them combined to get the hosts level.
Sam Gallagher cut the ball back for Rothwell and he found the bottom corner.
Rovers could have won the game with 10 minutes to go when another sub, Jacob Davenport, was put through by a brilliant first-time pass from Gallagher but Johnstone denied him one on one.
The tension was showing on Bilic as he was involved in a bust-up with Blackburn defender Darragh Lenihan which ended with the Baggies manager getting booked.
West Brom now host Fulham on Tuesday with three games to go as they look to keep Brentford at bay.
“We were in a position – and still are – that all we have to do is concentrate on our game,” said Bilic.
“Their result put more pressure on us but we are only concentrating on us.”
Blackburn are 12th and four points off the play-off spots with three games to go but boss Tony Mowbray is refusing to throw in the towel despite a shaky patch since the restart.
He said: “We have to win them all. Let’s go to Millwall on Tuesday and try to win and see where it takes us. Let’s just keep going.”