West Bromwich Albion scored twice in the last six minutes to snatch a draw with Championship promotion-chasers Huddersfield Town.

But Albion got a lifeline from Karlan Grant’s fortuitous 84th-minute penalty and, just a minute later, Semi Ajayi crossed for Andy Carroll to head in a dramatic Baggies equaliser – Albion’s first two goals in four home games.

Huddersfield still climb back up to second in the Championship table as they made it 17 league games unbeaten.

But Bournemouth, who have four games in hand, only have to avoid defeat at home by Derby on Saturday, to go back above them.

Albion are seven points outside the play-offs – and, depending on Saturday’s results, may be more going into next Tuesday night’s home clash with runaway leaders Fulham

It looked for most of the evening as if Albion had gifted victory to Carlos Corberan’s automatic promotion hopefuls.

After going close in the fourth minute when Terriers keeper Lee Nicholls parried Alex Mowatt’s fierce left-foot volley, Albion then handed the visitors their opener.

Johnstone was way too casual as he fielded a pass back from Kyle Bartley and his attempted clearance cannoned into Ward and flew straight into the back of the net.

The Albion keeper then might have done better when Ward scored Huddersfield’s second with a low finish which looked to have secured victory.

The comeback started when Sorba Thomas was penalised as he attempted to clear on the edge of the box, although contact with Mowatt appeared to be minimal, and Grant stuck away the penalty.

Then almost straight from the restart in Albion’s next attack, substitute Carroll got on the end of Semi Ajayi’s looping cross and his pinpoint header bounced into the corner of the net.

Even then Grant came close to winning it for Albion when he hit the crossbar, before Carroll came to the rescue at the other end with a brave headed goal-line clearance.

West Brom boss Steve Bruce told BBC Radio WM:

“When you’re two goals down at home with five minutes left then you’re grateful to get a point. But we’re actually a little bit disappointed as we gifted them two goals.

“We started well then made a mistake and you could feel the atmosphere change, then we gave them the second goal as well.

“But it’s how you respond to mistakes that counts and how you get over them. At least we showed a bit of fight, spirit, determination, call it whatever you like.

“Andy Carroll did well to get on the end of it, although I didn’t expect it to be Semi Ajayi crossing the ball for him and that gives us a bit of hope going into next week’s game with Fulham. We certainly can’t be giving the best side in the division a two-goal lead, that’s for sure.”