Marvin Ducksch earns Birmingham draw at West Brom

Marvin Ducksch’s equaliser for Birmingham denied West Brom victory in a 1-1 draw in a typical blood and thunder West Midlands derby at The Hawthorns in the Sky Bet Championship.

Alex Mowatt’s 50th career goal gave Albion a deserved 12th-minute lead but they failed to take their chances and were pegged back by Ducksch’s 78th-minute header.

In a fast and furious start, Albion created two chances before taking a deserved lead.

Dangerman Mikey Johnston burst from halfway to tee up Isaac Price but the former Everton man’s angled drive flashed inches over the bar.

Callum Styles then took advantage of acres of space to cut inside and force James Beadle to tip the ball sideways.

Albion were forced into an 11th-minute substitution when Toby Collyer was forced off to be replaced by Ousmane Diakite.

But Ryan Mason’s side brushed aside the disruption to take the lead.

Mowatt lashed a low drive in off Phil Neumann from 20 yards to fly beyond Beadle after Birmingham failed to clear George Campbell’s long throw-in from the right.

Johnston’s curling free kick fell a yard or two wide. Then the winger engineered himself another opportunity only to curl the ball narrowly over following another surge forward.

There was an approximate five-minute delay to the start of the second half because of what appeared to be a problem with the radio communication between the officials.

Albion had more chances to double their lead just after the restart.

Aune Heggebo’s header was held by Beadle, before Karlan Grant cut inside and his goalbound shot hit Neumann, deflecting wide.

Blues had a rare half chance after the hour but Jay Stansfield’s pull back was fractionally beyond the sliding Patrick Roberts, who ended up in the back of the net.

Twice Price found himself in acres of space in front of goal as Albion broke quickly, only to waste his chances.

First he opted to square but his pass was cut out, then he aimed for the far corner but curled wide.

Albion went close from Christoph Klarer’s clearing header from Johnston’s cross, which drifted agonisingly wide.

Baggies fans howled for a penalty when, clean-through, Heggebo fell under challenge from Roberts as he shaped to shoot.

Blues equalised against the run of play when Ducksch glanced in Tommy Doyle’s free kick from 12 yards out for the German’s third goal in two games.

Albion goalkeeper Josh Griffiths produced a double save to deny shots from Roberts and Tomoki Iwata before Mowatt’s volley flew wide as both sides went for the winner.