SLAV’S JOE WOE Rovers sub makes Baggies stumble towards line

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.

“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 Baggies boss Bilic.

“If you don’t score them there is always a possibility against a team of this quality you can concede.

“We have to kill the game off. Unfortunately we didn’t.”

Kamil Grosicki was first to waste a chance as his strike was saved by Christian Walton. Then Matheus Pereira set up Charlie Austin 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 should have pulled Blackburn level before the break but headed straight at Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone.

Krovinovic was left redfaced after the break when he hit the post after Walton denied Pereira with a good save.

The promotion-chasers would end the game with 17 shots and nine 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 substitute 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.

Blackburn are now 12th and four points off the playoff spots with three games to go but boss Mowbray is refusing to throw in the towel.

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.”