Moore makes point but Abraham has last word

AS aspirations go, bringing a halt to an eight-match losing streak is at the modest end of the spectrum, but Darren Moore at least achieved that with a draw against Swansea in his first match as caretaker manager.

Having sat lame on 20 points since January 20, West Bromwich Albion finally nudged their total up by one in a performance that exhibited the pride scandalously absent from the desperate end of Alan Pardew’s tenure.

West Brom could have even been celebrating only a fourth Premier League victory of the season having taken the lead through Jay Rodriguez’s goal.

Tammy Abraham’s equaliser 15 minutes from time salvaged a barely-deserved point for Swansea, who stay ahead of the curve for Premier League survival. The 20-year-old had not scored in the league since making his England debut in November but manager Carlos Carvalhal said: ‘He is progressing very well, he connects better to the game. My expectation is that next season, he can progress, play, score.’

Moore was pleased at achieving his base aim. ‘I’m delighted to stop that losing run,’ he said. ‘Right from the off we set out to be positive. We played on the front foot and attacked them.’

The Hawthorns was a wholesome place at last after the toxic venue it had become under Pardew. The presence in the dugout of Moore, a popular player of the boing boing years in the early 2000s, saw to that.

Swansea’s only chance of the first half came after Sam Clucas had opened up West Brom through a one-two with Abraham. Clucas fed Andre Ayew, who had space to shoot but poked the ball wide. Carvalhal’s team once again missed Jordan Ayew. The striker’s suspension has now ended and his name will be first on the teamsheet for next Saturday’s visit by Everton.

Rodriguez opened the scoring nine minutes after the break. Salomon Rondon glanced on a Matt Phillips cross and Rodriguez gambled to have the easiest tap-in.

Just as Moore was beginning to contemplate only a second West Brom victory in the league since August, a familiar fault appeared. Chris Brunt needlessly conceded a corner that Clucas delivered dangerously so that Abraham got the jump on Jake Livermore to nod beyond Ben Foster.