Striker Lee Hughes grabbed his 32nd goal of the season to earn under-pressure West Brom boss Denis Smith his first point in six games at the Hawthorns last night.

The ginger-haired hit man, back in the Albion line-up after a shoulder injury, found the target with a well-placed 31st-minute shot against Swindon Town.

But Albion's celebrations were short-lived with George Ndah levelling the scores 60 seconds later with a brilliant left-footer from 25 yards past 'keeper Phil Whitehead.

Albion, missing a string of key players because of injury, were worth their share of the spoils but they had to survive a number of anxious moments in defence.

Shayne Bradley squandered a great chance for Town after two minutes when his shot from six yards was scooped away by Whitehead and then moments later Iffy Onuora lashed his shot wide from the good position.

Smith's men, playing in front of a crowd of 9,601 - their lowest League gate of the season - opened the score in the 31st minute when Hughes converted an inch-perfect pass from James Quinn.

But in the 32nd minute, Ndah made it 1-1, and Town should have taken the lead in the 43rd minute when Onuora had another great chance but again fired wide.

Town's Bobby Howe was unlucky when he fired in a cracking shot from 20 yards only for Whitehead to stretch and fingertip the ball over the woodwork.

After the break it was Albion who held the edge and they were denied a second goal in the 52nd minute when Frank Talia made a magnificent diving save to push a goal-bound shot from Dutch midfielder Richard Sneekes round the post.

Teams

West Brom: Whitehead, McDermott, Potter, Murphy, Burgess, Van Blerk, Quinn (Angel 79), Sneekes, Evans, Hughes, Kilbane.

Subs Not Used: Quailey, Holmes.

Booked: McDermott, Van Blerk, Hughes.

Goals: Hughes 31.

Swindon: Talia, Linton, Davies (Walters 81), Taylor, Hall, Watson (Williams 81), Howe, Ndah, Onuora (Hay 70), Bradley,Gooden.

Booked: Davies, Hall, Ndah.

Goals: Ndah 32.

Att: 9,601

Ref: T Bates (Stoke-on-Trent).