ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: West Brom 1 Portsmouth 1IT IS known as the Great Escape and there may well have to be a sequel if West Bromwich Albion are to preserve their Premier League status this season. With 12 points from 16 matches, a familiar theme is emerging as Albion remain anchored to the foot of the table following an afternoon that promised much but, once again, delivered little. The near silence that greeted the final whistle was indicative of the subdued mood in these parts.

There was a sense beforehand that Portsmouth were there for the taking after their midweek travails in the Uefa Cup but Jonathan Greening's goal was all Albion had to show for their first-half domination against a side that appeared bereft of motivation as well as energy. The failure to increase that lead proved damaging, with Peter Crouch's 25-yard deflected shot levelling the scores and leaving Albion fans wondering whether their club will need to reprise the feat of three and a half years ago, when they survived despite being bottom at Christmas.

Tony Mowbray acknowledged that the result, which stopped a run of four successive defeats but means Albion are without a win in nine, represented a "missed opportunity". His post-match mood was darkened further by reports that Ishmael Miller faces six weeks on the sidelines after he suffered knee ligament damage in a collision with David James. "That's a blow to us," said Mowbray, who is hardly blessed with attacking options.

Albion's shortcomings in that area were all too evident against a Portsmouth side struggling to come to terms with the fallout from their Uefa Cup defeat to Wolfsburg. Tony Adams admitted as much, the Portsmouth manager describing their performance as "flat", with the visitors failing to impose themselves until the second period. Even then it was symptomatic of their lack of penetration that much of their attacking threat was provided by Glen Johnson, and the right-back came close to pilfering a winner when he blazed over from 10 yards.

"He's a little bit disappointed," said Adams, reflecting on the England international's late chance. "I think after the first-half performance I'm happy with a point but at the end of the game it may be two dropped. We were flat after the Uefa Cup exit and the disappointment from that."

Adams said he was upset with the decision that led to Albion taking the lead when Mike Dean, the referee, penalised Campbell for climbing on Miller. Chris Brunt stepped up to take the free-kick that followed and thumped a 22-yard shot against the crossbar. Greening pounced on the rebound and dispatched a half-volley into the net.

It was no more than Albion deserved after a first half in which Abdoulaye Meite, James Morrison and Brunt had all threatened.

Miller saw his angled drive repelled by James in the 48th minute but it was no surprise when Crouch marked Portsmouth's second-half revival with a speculative drive that ricocheted off Meite and over Scott Carson's head.

"It was a frustrating day for us," said Mowbray. "I thought we deserved a second goal in the first half but it didn't come and that was always going to make the second half edgy, especially when you have not won for so long."

• Guardian Service