A superb injury time shot from defender Daryl Burgess earned under fire West Brom boss Denis Smith a share of the spoils against Bradford at the Hawthorns.

Burgess pounced to claim his first goal of the season, and Albion's first in four games, when he found the target after a neat lay back from striker Bob Taylor.

Bradford, who were always in command of the game, took the lead with a powerful header from striker Robert Steiner in the 39th minute to cap a sweeping move through the heart of the Albion defence.

Nigel Pepper sent the hard-working Jamie Lawrence breaking away on the right and he chipped a perfect cross into the middle for Steiner to power home a marvellous header for his tenth goal of the campaign.

Bradford brought to a halt a run of five successive away defeats and they always held the edge.

They should have had the game sewn up long before the final whistle and appealed for a penalty just before the break when Burgess pulled down the unmarked Steiner. But referee Paul Robinson waved aside their appeals.

Then, in the second half, the unmarked Blake was unlucky with a shot that flew just inches wide while Steiner sent his rising volley against the woodwork.

The restless Albion fans were demanding the head of manager Smith when Albion staged their late attack to steal a point with Burgess's all-important strike.

Smith now has just 11 points to his credit from a possible 42 and, despite being hit by massive injury problems, he still has a tough job on his hands to raise the confidence of a side who rarely threatened the Bradford goalmouth.

Teams

West Brom: Miller, Holmes, Potter, Coldicott (Quailey 55), Burgess, Carbon (Gilbert 45), Flynn, Hamilton, Taylor, Hughes, Kilbane.

Subs Not Used: Carr.

Goals: Burgess 90.

Bradford: Walsh, Wilder, Jacobs, Ramage, Youds, Melville, Lawrence, Pepper, Steiner (Edinho 87), Blake, Beagrie.

Subs Not Used: O'Brien, Murray.

Booked: Ramage, Youds.

Goals: Steiner 39.

Att: 13,281

Ref: J P Robinson (Hull).