Report: Saints leave it late to earn West Brom point

A largely tepid opening 45 minutes should’ve burst to life when Ross Stewart spurned a gilt-edged headed chance after half-an-hour, as Saints struggled to turn possession into something more potent.

The Baggies then gave themselves something to cling onto in their bid to beat the drop as Jayson Molumby bundled home from a corner at the end of the half.

Looking for a first win of 2026, the Baggies were left deflated when substitute Larin rose to head home off the crossbar in stoppage time, extending the unbeaten run to 11 in all competitions and three points off of sixth-placed Wrexham.

The first of a Midlands doubleheader this week, Tonda Eckert made four changes to the side that reached the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Rested at Fulham, captain Jack Stephens and Shea Charles reclaimed their starting berths, with Nathan Wood and Caspar Jander dropping to the bench.

Further forward, Kuryu Matsuki was preferred to Tom Fellows - who would have to wait to face his former club - with last weekend’s hero Stewart handed a starting spot for the first time in three games for Larin.

Finn Azaz was facing his boyhood club. (Photo: Matt Watson)

Chasing a winning formula of their own with the chance to get out of the bottom three, one of Albion’s two alterations to their line-up almost teed up an early opener.

Alfie Gilchrist’s long throw missiled its way into the heart of the box, where Aune Heggebø’s flicked header had to be tipped over the bar by Daniel Peretz.

Set plays provided the game’s only excitement in the opening quarter-of-an-hour, as James Bree’s delivery from a wide free-kick on the left found Stephens at the near post, whose stooping header flew into the Birmingham Road End.

The Baggies were happy to operate in close proximity to the home fans behind the goal, sitting deep in their own half in a bid to frustrate the visitors.

An effective approach, Albion’s resolute rearguard action should have been breached just past the half-hour mark.

Leo Scienza’s cross from the left perfectly picked out the unmarked Stewart in the middle, but the striker’s header was straight into the hands of a grateful Max O’Leary when anywhere else would have seen the net ripple.

With Scienza boasting four assists from his last four league outings, the Hawthorns sighed with relief when the Brazilian had to limp off with an injury, allowing Fellows to enter the fray to applause from all four sides of the ground.

Leo Scienza picked up a first-half injury at the Hawthorns. (Photo: Matt Watson)

Having been on the back foot the alteration coincided with a change in momentum, as the Baggies finished the half strongly.

Molumby cleverly lobbed a ball over the top for Isaac Price to hit on the volley from just inside the box, flying just wide of the far post with Peretz only able to watch on in hope.

Looking a threat from set-pieces, the hosts made one count as the game ticked into the 45th minute as Molumby grabbed just his second of the season.

Daryl Dike’s header from a corner was well-saved by Peretz on his line, but the rebound was headed goalwards again by the striker with Molumby well-placed to swivel and bundle home the ball from close range.

A lengthy stoppage at the end of half after Dike and Bree clashed heads ruled out any immediate comeback, teeing up a second half with potentially big impacts at both ends of the table.

Looking to make an impact of his own, Larin took the place of Stewart at the break, but it was Ryan Manning who looked to start the half in perfect fashion as his latest free-kick attempt had to be claimed by a sliding O’Leary at his near post.

A bright start to the second 45 failed to materialise in terms of chances, as the Baggies almost bolstered their lead just past the hour-mark.

Jed Wallace’s cross found the head of the imposing Dike, with the American’s header blocked by Peretz who scrambled to claim the ball at the second attempt with blue and white shirts closing in.

Needing more in the final third, Eckert completed the refresh of his front three as Sam Edozie took Matsuki’s place, while Cam Bragg offered fresh legs in midfield in place of Flynn Downes for the final 25 minutes.

Peretz continued to be the busier of the two keepers, however, this time called into action to thwart Price’s shot from 20 yards after a driving run from Heggebø roused the home crowd who were growing in belief.

Cyle Larin grabbed his third Saints goal in stoppage time. (Photo: Matt Watson)

Needing to repeat some of the late heroics seen at Leicester last month, two of the heroes on that night tried to do the same again as Stephens headed a Bree free-kick wide before Charles dragged a shot off target after space opened up 20 yards out.

Chasing a first win of his tenure, Morrison made a triple change for the final 15 minutes to introduce fresh legs, while in the opposite dugout Eckert went for broke as Cameron Archer came on for Bree.

As the game ticked into six additional minutes and the hosts edged closer to a first win of the calendar year, Larin silenced the Hawthorns when he rose highest to meet Edozie’s cross, with his header back across goal finding the back of the net after coming down off the crossbar.

Sensing another late comeback was on the cards, Eckert’s side pressed for a winner, but were forced to settle for a share of the spoils to tee up a mouth-watering trip to Coventry on Saturday lunchtime.

West Bromwich Albion: O’Leary, Imray, Campbell, Gilchrist, Styles, Wallace (c) (Bostok 77’), Molumby (Mowatt 77’), Diakité (Whitwell 87’), Price, Dike (Maja 77’), Heggebø.

Unused substitutes: Griffiths, Williams, Phillips, Jimoh-Aloba, Mustapha.

Goals: Molumby (45’).

Booked: Imray, Diakité.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree (Archer 83’), Stephens (c), Harwood-Bellis, Manning, Downes (Bragg 66’), Charles, Matsuki (Edozie 66’), Azaz, Scienza (Fellows 37’), Stewart (Larin 46’).

Unused substitutes: Long, Wood, Romeu, Jander.

Goals: Larin (90+1)

Booked: Stephens, Bragg.

Referee: Benjamin Speedie.

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