West Brom returned to the Championship's top two after a 0-0 draw at home to Wolves in which Wayne Hennessey saved a late Zoltan Gera penalty.

Hennessey's late stop earned Wolves a share of the spoils as they held their bitter local rivals in a fiercely contested Black Country derby at The Hawthorns on Sunday.

The Wanderers goalkeeper dived low to his right in the 84th minute to deny Gera from the spot to cap a stunning performance after Neill Collins had pulled Baggies substitute Craig Beattie's shirt inside the area.

The Wales international had earlier pulled off another stunning stop to push Filipe Teixeira's shot onto the post as Mick McCarthy's side stubbornly held on for a deserved point, while Albion now lie five points behind leaders Watford.

Chris Brunt came into the Baggies side to replace James Morrison, who recently returned to parent club Middlesbrough.

And with Freddy Eastwood only fit enough to take a place on the bench and fellow forward Andy Keogh ruled out, McCarthy opted for a 4-5-1 formation with Jay Bothroyd deployed as a sole striker and Darron Gibson brought into midfield.

Buoyed by a rousing reception from the home support, it was the Baggies who began the brighter.

Northern Ireland winger Brunt saw plenty of the ball early on and Jody Craddock did well to cut out his dangerous cross destined for Miller.

Still unbeaten at home this season and boasting the best goal difference in the division, Albion looked menacing every time they entered the opposition's half and Miller should have done better after Robert Koren had led a break forward.

Man of the moment Teixeira may have scored twice in Tony Mowbray's side's last outing, a 4-0 win at Coventry, but the cultured midfielder's finishing prowess deserted him in the 20th minute when he fired Brunt's cutback over the bar.

Miller looked a constant threat with his pace and power but the on-loan Manchester City forward was closely guarded by Craddock and when given a rare sight of goal fired straight at Hennessey.

Yet despite being on the back foot for the opening half hour, it was the visitors, who have now won on their travels just once in their last eight attempts, who almost made the breakthrough.

Craddock demonstrated his value at the other end when he rose highest to meet Stephen Ward's corner but his header flew the wrong side of the left post.

Wanderers grew in confidence and finished the stronger. Kightly served notice of his growing reputation when he deceived Paul Robinson before whipping in a wonderful ball which should have been converted by Seyi Olofinjana, but the Nigerian's diving header was wide of the left post.

Excellent defending from Robinson cut out another dangerous cross, this time from the right, and just moments before half-time Gibson could count himself unfortunate when his low free-kick flew narrowly wide of the right post.

The second period failed to deliver the same intensity but only Hennessey's fingertips prevented Teixeira from giving West Brom the lead when he superbly tipped the midfielder's curling effort onto the left post.

Then McCarthy's men were dealt a blow in the 60th minute when Kightly limped off, with Eastwood on in his place.

Referee Chris Foy was again called into action to separate the two sides when tempers boiled over following Teixeira's late challenge on Darren Ward, for which he received a booking.

Hennessey again came to the rescue to deny Beattie from close range before Eastwood had his first real sniff of a chance 12 minutes from time, but he fired straight at Dean Kiely and again there was no support to follow up the rebound.

Robinson missed a golden opportunity from skipper Jonathan Greening's corner when he rose unmarked but headed wide of the right post as Albion stepped up their search for a winner.

That appeared on the cards when they were handed a late penalty but Hennessey ensured they were forced to settle for a point.

Team Talk / Eurosport