SUB Dragan Stancic's stunning 88^th-minute leveller denied impressive Albion a deserved victory against the Serbian champions.

Paul Robinson had headed the Baggies into a 19^th-minute lead as they belied the fact their pre-season preparations are still in their infancy by producing another encouraging display on Balkan soil.

Tony Mowbray's men looked assured in defence, worked the ball well in midfield and created enough chances to have won the final fixture of their mini-tour comfortably.

Red Star looked to have run out of ideas before Stancic gave Dean Kiely no chance with a terrific 25-yard free-kick.

On-loan Sherjill MacDonald was granted his first senior start alongside Nathan Ellington up front while new boy Shelton Martis made his second Baggies appearance in central defence.

Kevin Phillips (hamstring) was the Baggies' only absentee.

The game kicked off under a scorching Slovenian sun at the neutral venue of Mura, Murska Sobota, where Mowbray's men had trained earlier this week.

It was even swelteringly hot under the shade of the stands, where a healthy travelling band of Baggies fans was camped.

So it was only fitting captain-for-the-day Robert Koren received a 'warm' welcome from his fellow countrymen sat inside the compact stadium when his name was announced.

Albion started brightly and recorded two efforts on goal in the opening four minutes.

MacDonald nodded Richard Chaplow's centre weakly at Red Star keeper Ivan Randelovic from 15 yards inside the first 60 seconds.

Zoltan Gera then went much closer, beating the Belgrade No.1 all ends up with a downward header from Darren Carter's deep free-kick which bounced inches past the far post.

The Serbs didn't record their first shot on goal until the 13th minute, when left-back Dusan Andelkovic fired well wide from 30 yards.

But Bosko Djurovski's side went much closer with their next effort.

Kiely had to be alert to palm over midfielder Nenad Milijas' curling free-kick, which was aiming for the Baggies keeper's top left-hand corner.

But it was Albion who snatched a 19th-minute lead.

Robinson timed his run to perfection to meet Carter's left-side corner sweetly, planting a bullet header into the Red Star net from eight yards.

The Baggies went close again moments later when MacDonald cut inside from the left and saw his 20-yard grass-cutter well held by Randelovic at his near post.

Red Star mounted their next meaningful attack in the 26th minute when Jared Hodgkiss threw himself full stretch at Aleksander Pantic's cross.

The Baggies right-back's attempted clearance cannoned off Belgrade forward Aleksandar Trisovic's chest and bounced just wide of the wrong-footed Kiely's far post.

Albion hit back when the energetic Koren's deflected centre looped kindly into the marauding Hodgkiss' path.

But the young right-back could only direct an awkward volley weakly at Randelovic from 15 yards.

The Baggies defence was incensed the officials did not blow for offside when Milanko Raskovic headed Filip Djordjevic in on goal.

Justice was probably served when the Red Star targetman fired wide from an acute angle.

Pantic also failed to trouble Kiely's goal when he cut inside Robinson and dragged a left-footed 18-yard shot wide of the near post.

Mowbray rang four changes at the break as Gera, Chaplow, MacDonald and Koren made way for Jonathan Greening, Ronnie Wallwork, David Worrall and Stuart Nicholson.

Albion had a real scare inside 40 seconds of the restart.

Milijas saw a 20-yard snapshot cannon off Kiely's bar and loop into the stand behind the goal.

But Albion soon hit back.

Carter latched onto Andelkovic's wayward ball and instantly threaded Nicholson through with a slide-rule pass.

The ex-Bristol Rovers loanee raced into the box and was unlucky to see his low drive cannon off Randelovic's right leg and drift inches past the near post.

The action was now flowing from end to end and, in the 55th minute, Red Star sub Nikola Trajkovic dragged a low shot across the face of goal from Pantic's neat pass.

Albion could have been celebrating a two-goal cushion three minutes later when Randelovic could only block Ellington's swerving 25-yarder with his knees.

The ball rebounded fiercely to Carter who headed just over the empty net.

After a lull in the game, Red Star midfielder Lukas was the next to threaten 15 minutes from time when he volleyed a partially-cleared corner just wide from 20 yards.

Back came Albion and lively sub Craig Beattie screwed a 20-yard shot well wide after shrugging off Vladimir Bogdanovic to latch onto Kiely's huge punt upfield.

But Red Star grabbed a somewhat undeserved leveller two minutes from time when sub Stancic beat Kiely all ends up with a stunning 25-yard free-kick.

RED STAR (4-3-3): Randelovic; Pantic (Nikolic 69), Tutoric (Bogdanovic 64), Ibrahima, Andelkovic; Lukas, Milovanovic (Bajalica 64), Milijas (Stancic 59); Raskovic (Basta 55), Djordjevic (Perovic 73), Trisovic (Trajkovic HT). Subs not used: Radivojevic.

ALBION (4-4-2): Kiely; Hodgkiss, Martis (McShane 69), Albrechtsen, Robinson (Davies 69); Gera (Greening HT), Chaplow (Wallwork HT), Carter, Koren (Worrall HT); MacDonald (Nicholson HT), Ellington (Beattie 62). Subs not used: Daniels (gk), Hartson.

GOALS: RED STAR - Stancic (88). ALBION - Robinson (19).

BOOKINGS: RED STAR: Milijas (foul 24). ALBION - Greening (foul 68).

REFEREE: A Tratnjek (Murska Sobota).

ATTENDANCE: TBC