With Villa being dragged into the relegation battle in recent weeks, a good result against Bryan Robson's West Brom was vital to ensure that they remain clear of the relegation zone.

In a typically manic West Midlands derby, both sides had chances to win it but with so much at stake, both sides looked unsurprisingly tense from the very first whistle.

West Brom started the game brightly as Kamara and Gera wasted good chances to give the visitors the lead.

With Villa on the back foot, Diomansy Kamara had another great chance to open the scoring. Gera provided a pin-point ball into the Villa box and from only six-yards out, the Senegalese striker somehow missed the target.

Villa responded well though as Kevin Phillips came close to breaking the deadlock against the run of play. The striker made the most of a mix-up at the heart of the Baggies' defence as he flicked a header towards goal only to be denied by Kuszczak's fingertiups and then the crossbar.

The visitors took total control of proceedings in the second half as Kamara, Greening and Gera again troubled the Villa back-line.

With Villa desperately trying to hold on to the draw, West Brom had two strong penalty appeals turned down as referee Mark Halsey decided Hughes and Ridgewell were not guilty of deliberate handball.

In the closing minutes, the visitors desperately searched for a winner and in the very last minute, following a fine save from Sorensen and a manic goalmouth scramble, debutant Gary Cahill somehow cleared the ball off the line to secure the Villans a vital share of the spoils.

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