'Captain's performance' and 'fearlessness of youth' lauded as West Brom respond

The goalless draw at The Hawthorns was enough to lift the Baggies a point outside the drop zone ahead of Tuesday's trip to 10th-placed Birmingham.

For club captain Wallace, who is 32 next month, it was a first start in more than four months due to injury and Villa loan teen Jimon-Aloba, 19, who sealed an Albion return on transfer deadline day, made his Baggies debut and first senior start.

"It was a really important captain's performance from Jed," Ramsay said.

"I'm sure he's been frustrated by how little he's been able to contribute and we've also been really careful with him.

"Someone at the stage of the career that he's at and with the history of the last three or four months, we've wanted to nurse him back.

"But I think in a difficult set of circumstances, he was really there and that's an important thing."

Wallace missed much of the campaign under former boss Ryan Mason with a serious calf injury. He was a driving force from the right flank and fired inches wide in the first period.

Jimoh-Aloba, starting on the left in place of Mikey Johnston, was a bright spark and troubled Stoke's defence. He drew a top stop from Stoke's Tommy Simkin with a deflected strike in an hour display.

Boss Ramsay hopes he and Crystal Palace loanee Hindolo Mustapha, 19, who was uninvolved, can show a "fearlessness of youth" on loan.

"Jamal on the other side probably has that fearlessness of youth as we talked about yesterday, and not carrying the baggage of some of the players, perhaps," Ramsay added. "I think he showed that.

"It wasn't the greatest ever debut, but it was really solid for a player of that age and that level of experience. He showed some real maturity and had some really good moments."