CHERRIES were twice pegged back to be held to a 2-2 draw by West Brom in a breathless Championship opener at Vitality Stadium.

Emiliano Marcondes put Cherries ahead early in the contest, only for Dara O’Shea to level the game before half-time.

Cherries took to the front again soon after the restart through Philip Billing, before Callum Robinson tied things up to set up a tense final 20 minutes.

Both sides created chances to start their league campaigns with a victory with David Brooks and Dominic Solanke both going close to grabbing a winner, but the spoils were shared.

Scott Parker made two changes to the side which eased past MK Dons in the Carabao Cup last time out. One of which was enforced, with Jordan Zemura replacing the injured Jack Stacey to make his first Championship start. The second defensive change saw Chris Mepham return from his one-match ban, with Zeno Ibsen Rossi dropping to the bench.

Academy graduates Gavin Kilkenny and Jaidon Anthony made the first league starts of their careers.

With seven senior first-team players missing, as well as Junior Stanislas withdrawing in the warm-up, the bench was made up entirely of products of the club’s academy.

West Brom handed a start in goal to former Cherries loanee David Button, with England’s Sam Johnstone on the bench.

In front of a sold-out Vitality Stadium crowd for the first time since February 2020, it was the Baggies who carved out the first opening.

Valerien Ismael’s side would use set pieces to their advantage throughout the night, with Alex Mowatt’s delivery met by Kyle Bartley, whose header was held by Mark Travers.

But it was Cherries who would get their noses in front. After Billing was halted in his break down the left, Anthony collected the loose ball and crossed low for Marcondes to sweep home left-footed. It marked the Dane’s first competitive goal for the club, following the former Brentford man’s move to Cherries over the summer.

Boss Parker then had to be on his toes as Mepham came sliding towards him on the touchline, the Wales defender booked for tripping both his manager and Baggies forward Karlan Grant.

In a half of relatively few clear-cut chances, West Brom carved out a leveller just past the half-hour mark. After a long through from Conor Townsend was only cleared back out to the wing-back, he crossed for O’Shea to rise above Zemura and head down into the ground and past Travers.

The Baggies had their tails up, looking the stronger side for the remainder of the half with Cherries shaky from set pieces. Robinson turned in from a corner, but the effort was ruled out for a foul in the build-up.

Travers then had to get down well to deny the same man as he let fly from 20 yards, diving to parry away the fierce strike as the half ended level.

But Cherries regrouped after the break and retook the lead. Anthony was again involved, slipping a brilliant reverse pass for Zemura to run on to. The Zimbabwe full-back fired across goal, which Button could only parry as far as Billing to fire right-footed into the bottom corner, to add to his goal against MK Dons last weekend.

Ismael turned to his bench, introducing Matt Phillips in place of Grady Diangana. And the change paid instant dividends as Phillips led the Baggies to an impressive leveller. His pass out to Mowatt was played across goal for Robinson to guide a shot into the corner, out of reach of Travers before celebrating in front of the lively away section.

Cherries looked for an instant reply, Billing crossing deep for Brooks, who met the ball on the volley only to be denied by a brilliant low Button stop.

The Baggies came agonisingly close to getting their noses in front for the first time on the night as the game entered its final 20 minutes, Grant smashing just wide from a tight angle.

Dominic Solanke was next to try his luck at the other end, getting in behind the defence, but his low left-footed drive was stopped by Button.

And neither side could find a third goal, as the game meandered to a draw.

Cherries: Travers; Smith, Mepham, Kelly, Zemura; Kilkenny, Marcondes, Billing; Brooks (Saydee, 90+1), Anthony, Solanke.

Unused subs: Camp, Ibsen Rossi, Taylor, Moriah-Welsh, Glover, Dennis (g/k).

Booked: Mepham.

West Brom: Button; Kipre, Bartley, O’Shea; Furlong, Livermore, Mowatt, Townsend; Diangana (Phillips, 64), Grant (Zohore, 87), Robinson.

Unused subs: Ajayi, Ingram, Tulloch, Johnstone (g/k).

Booked: Bartley, Mowatt, Livermore.

Referee: Darren Bond.