Rovers work in training on ‘scenario football’, on how to react to different situations within games.

But nothing could have prepared them for a series of events which conspired against them here.

With Ryan Nyambe and Darragh Lenihan already unavailable through injury, Charlie Mulgrew, try as he might to try and continue, was forced off with a rib problem just 15 minutes in.

Jack Rodwell was next to join the growing injury list in the second half before a nasty collision with the boot of Jay Rodriguez left David Raya with a facial injury so severe it saw him rushed to hospital. Play resumed in the 83rd minute, and took in an additional seven minutes, with Richie Smallwood taking on the responsibility of going in goal.

A team which started with no recognised striker, ended without a goalkeeper or a recognised central half as a back four made up of a right winger, a central midfield prospect and two left backs had to stave off the division’s top scorers.

They succeeded in doing so after some late heroics, including one almighty late scramble, but in between showed levels of both quality and spirit which typify this team.

Their efforts deserved the point they battled for, and were it not for being forced to play with 10 men, they would have been the most likely to go on and win it, only to be stopped in their tracks by the sickening injury to Raya.

The initial team selected by Tony Mowbray raised many an eyebrow, naming five changes and using Bradley Dack as a central striker. It was a system which brought Rovers control, but little by way of goalmouth action.

In Harrison Reed they had the game’s best player, and a driving run in to the box should have been rewarded with a penalty as his cross hit both hands of the retreating West Brom defender.

While their luck was out there, they were fortunate not to fall behind on the half hour mark as Jay Rodriguez, who would be involved in the collisions which saw both Mulgrew and Raya replaced, missed a golden opportunity. He picked the pocket of Derrick Williams, and after being denied by Raya, he somehow turned the rebound over the bar from six yards.

With three giant centre halves, West Brom made their aerial dominance pay five minutes before the break as Craig Dawson got above Amari’i Bell, and ahead of Raya, to nod the hosts infront.

Rovers’ best chance of the half came within 60 seconds of falling behind as Dack showed his class with a turn and flick on halfway which sent the lively Rothwell clear, but one-on-one,  he was denied by Sam Johnstone.

They emerged for the second half unchanged, but with an added intensity as they asserted a dominance which brought a nervousness around the stadium.

Wave after wave of attack was being repelled, as they tried to probe a way in to the West Brom area.

In the end, their equaliser came via a moment of individual quality from the impressive Reed, curling in a 25 yarder from the left edge of the box, giving him the goal his performance merited.

As thoughts turned to the possibility of a winner, an innocuous throughball turned the game on its head. Raya came sliding out, with Rodriguez’s boot catching the ‘keeper as he mopped up the loose ball.

It soon became clear it was a serious injury, which turned the tide, with Rovers, having used all their subs, forced to go with an outfield player, subsequently, in goal.

Lesser teams would have folded given what had conspired against them, made this in to a hard-luck story and felt a sense of injustice. Instead, that simply added to their determination to see out for a point they thoroughly deserved. This team simply keep finding new ways of surpassing themselves.