Bob Taylor denied Burnley a third straight win with a late equaliser to keep both clubs in with a chance of making the play-offs.

Taylor's equaliser seven minutes from time cancelled out a 46th-minute opener from Glen Little.

Taylor's goals have been few and far between this season - this was only his sixth - but few will have proved more valuable - and what a classic it was.

The veteran striker escaped the attentions of the Burnley defence to head home from eight yards across from captain Ruel Fox.

Burnley were left kicking themselves for a missed opportunity.

After Little's cool finish had given them the lead, both Paul Cook and Gareth Taylor spurned chances to put the match beyond Albion's reach.

A glorious move down the right presented Cook with a shooting chance, but his shot went wide before Taylor beat the offside trap only to be denied by a brave save from Russell Hoult.

Albion had their second-half moments too, notably when a header from Taylor hit the corner of the bar and post, but they did not look on top form and for the most part found a determined Burnley outfit something of a handful.

Burnley may have had an early penalty when Ian Moore seemed to go down under a challenge from Des Lyttle, but West Brom responded well and could easily have gone ahead seconds from the interval.

An attempted crossfield pass from Little hit the referee and bounced invitingly in the path of top scorer Lee Hughes.

Hughes kept his composure and got his shot on the run on target, only to see Nik Michopolous make a brilliant one-handed save low to his left.

Burnley's first on target shot of the afternoon brought their goal, Little staying calm to shoot beyond Hoult after good work by Paul Weller.

Albion threw on substitute Jason Roberts to goal with a three pronged attack and eventually it came good, thanks to the evergreen Taylor.

Teams

Burnley: Michopoulos, West, Davis, Armstrong (Thomas 55), Smith, Weller, Ball, Cook (Briscoe 60), Little (Mullin 79), Moore, Taylor.

Subs Not Used: Crichton, Payton.

Booked: Thomas.

Goals: Little 46.

West Brom: Hoult, Lyttle, Butler (Sigurdsson 83), Gilchrist, Clement, Van Blerk (Roberts 51), Fox (Quinn 90), Sneekes, Appleton, Hughes, Taylor.

Subs Not Used: Jensen, Adam Chambers.

Booked: Fox.

Goals: Taylor 84.

Att: 18,199

Ref: C Foy (St. Helens).