Peter Crouch ends West Brom's 100% record as Stoke battle back to draw

West Brom 1-1 Stoke: A pair of close-range headers ensured the points were shared as the Midlands rivals played out a tepid clash at The Hawthorns

Peter Crouch was on hand to capitalise from a rare error and earn Stoke a point (Getty)

West Bromwich Albion squandered the chance to stay level with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table as they handed Peter Crouch a second-half Stoke equaliser.

A pair of close-range headers ensured the points were shared as the Midlands rivals played out a tepid clash at The Hawthorns.

Yet while Jay Rodriguez’s opener for West Brom on 61 minutes came from a rare moment of pace and incision, Crouch’s leveller 16 minutes later was presented to the former England forward by a mix-up between Ahmed Hegazi, West Brom’s summer signing, and goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Rodriguez gave the Baggies the lead (Getty)

For much of the encounter, it appeared the pre-match truce declared by rival managers Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes had extended into the pitch as the sides struggled to lay a glove on each other.

Only once Rodriguez had opened the scoring from an Allan Nyom cross did the fixture come to life.

The first chance fell to West Brom from a right-wing corner, delivered to the far post by Chris Brunt.

James Morrison rose well enough to make contact but not high enough to direct his header on target.

West Brom had won their first two games 1-0 (Getty)

Stoke screamed for a penalty early on when Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting darted between Brunt and Morrison in the Albion box and hit the ground.

Replays, however, showed minimal contact with the West Brom players, who they survived a scare when Bruno Martins Indi poked a shot wide from a corner.

A tepid opening 23 minutes almost ended with the opening goal as Kurt Zouma strode forwards from centre-back for Stoke and tried his luck from 25 yards.

His effort struck the heels of West Brom’s Gareth Barry and looped towards goal but Foster, a former Stoke goalkeeper, back-peddled superbly to push it over the crossbar.

Crouch equalised after a rare defensive mistake from the Baggies (Getty)

With half-time approaching there was hope for West Brom when a whipped cross by Brunt was helped back across goal by Matt Phillips but Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross scooped the ball behind for a corner with Jack Livermore closing in to score.

The second half began at an even slower pace to much of the first but on 61 minutes the game was finally enlivened by the opening goal as West Brom conjured a rare moment of dynamism.

Craig Dawson found Allan Nyom down the right and the full-back burst forwards into a dangerous crossing position.

His angled ball to the far post was perfect for Rodriguez, who nodded home before wheeling away to celebrate his first Premier League goal for his new club.

West Brom went searching for a second goal with Hegazi heading over and Stoke forced to clear some dangerous Brunt corners, but on 77 minutes the home side handed their visitors an equaliser.

Crouch's goal ended West Brom's perfect start (Getty)

A cross by substitute Ramadan Sobhi was met by his fellow Egyptian Hegazy, who tried to clear despite Foster being poised to claim it.

Hegazi made a hash of his interception and presented the ball to Crouch to head home from close range.

West Brom introduced new £15m signing Oliver Burke in the closing stages but he had little time to make an impact as Hegazi’s error proved costly.

West Bromwich Albion (4-1-4-1): Foster; Nyom, Dawson, Hegazy, Brunt; Barry; Phillips (McClean 74), Livermore, Morrison (Yacob 70), Rodriguez (Burke 88); Rondon. Subs not used: Myhill, Chadli, Field, Wilson. Booked: Rodriguez

Stoke City (3-4-2-1): Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Cameron (Sobhi 69), Allen, Fletcher, Pieters; Choupo-Moting, Shaqiri; Jese (Crouch 62). Subs not used: Grant, Johnson, Berahino, Adam, Bojan. Booked: Pieters.

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Attendance: 22,704