West Brom head coach Ryan Mason was sent off as his side were held 1-1 by Portsmouth at The Hawthorns in the Sky Bet Championship.
Mason was dismissed after 71 minutes by referee Elliot Bell for his furious reaction to what appeared to be an unpunished foul by Regan Poole on Aune Heggebo.
Poole had already been booked and it came moments after Albion were denied a penalty when Heggebo appeared to be tripped by Connor Ogilvie.
Mason was seen to kick out at the bench in the technical area and had words with the fourth official.
Mikey Johnston celebrates after scoring West Brom’s opening goal against Portsmouth
Mikey Johnston’s spectacular strike gave Albion a 26th-minute lead only for Colby Bishop’s 56th-minute header to level, ending the hosts’ 100 per cent league record and denying them the chance to go top.
Albion created the first half chance with a rising shot from Isaac Price that was blocked.
But the hosts trod a dangerous line early on as centre-back George Campbell was booked for bringing down Pompey attacker Adrian Segecic in just the seventh minute.
Segecic was proving a genuine threat and, after dragging a low 20-yard drive wide, the Australian put Florian Bianchini through for a one-on-one in the 20th minute. Thankfully for Albion, goalkeeper Josh Griffiths darted off his line and blocked the shot with his legs.
But it was Albion who led through a tremendous goal from Johnston. The winger unleashed a powerful drive from 22 yards that flew into the far corner of the net, leaving goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid rooted to the spot.
The goal changed the complexion of the game, with the Midlanders suddenly in control.
Alex Mowatt broke from deep midfield to threaten with an angled drive that looped up after a deflection.
But Pompey remained a threat and Josh Murphy’s cross was punched away before Bianchini fired weakly at Griffiths after cutting inside Callum Styles.
Murphy’s deflected low effort forced Griffiths to scramble across his goal to save after Swift touched back a corner.
After the restart, Pompey left-back Ogilvie ballooned Bianchini’s cross high over the bar.
But Albion were in the ascendancy and Mowatt’s drive smacked off the post as the hosts went within inches of doubling their lead.
However, Pompey scored an excellent equaliser. Murphy crossed on the run from the left and Bishop met it with a bullet header to get across Campbell.
Pompey looked to have survived a strong penalty appeal after Ogilvie appeared to bring down Heggebo as he went to shoot deep inside the area.
Albion’s anger was compounded moments later when Poole grappled with Heggebo, with the referee allowing play to continue.
The managers
West Brom’s assistant Nigel Gibbs speaking after Ryan Mason’s red card:
“From where we were sitting we thought it was a penalty, but the referee didn’t give us the decision.
“These things happen and we have just got to keep focused to the end, which I thought the players did.
“Ryan spoke to the players afterwards and then I have come straight here. So I haven’t had chance to speak to him.
“Credit to the boys, they kept their discipline and kept pushing to the end but we couldn’t find that opening to get that second goal.”
Portsmouth’s John Mousinho:
“I spoke to the referee’s assistant just after the penalty incident and he felt that Connor Ogilvie had won the ball.
“At the time I thought we might have been slightly lucky to get away with that (Poole on Heggebo) one.
“I spoke to a couple of the West Brom players and they said Heggebo said he had full hold on Regan’s shirt as well.
“I have to say there were times in the first half when it seemed like George Campbell (Albion centre half) could do whatever he wanted to Colby Bishop.
“There was an incident in the second half where he (Campbell) had two arms across him (Bishop) and dragged him down.
“It’s the most obvious foul, so give it. I thought it evened itself out over the game.”
