Wolves v West Bromwich Albion match report

By Jemma Tappenden
January 29 2007

Full match report from the 4th round FA Cup tie between local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion at Molineux, on Sunday 28th January 2007.

West Bromwich Albion visited Wolves this weekend to see which of the two sides would make it through to the next round of the FA Cup. With the extra added ingredient of a local derby the stakes were even higher than just a passport to the next round. The Baggies already had the advantage of a 3-0 victory over Wolves at the Hawthorns last October, and Wolves fans in particular were desperate to even up the scores.

Wolves kicked off the first half, attacking the Southbank end of the ground which was fully sold out to the 5,300 travelling Baggies fans. Neither keeper was tested hugely in the first few minutes, but Albion had the first real chance of the game when Darren Potter’s challenge on Diomansy Kamara in the 7th minute gave Koumas the chance to test Matt Murray from a free kick. The threat was short lived and it was Wolves who had the first two corners of the game, although neither proving to be much of a test for Albion keeper Zuberbuhler. Midway through the first half Albion had two clear cut chances, Murray saving from Koumas and a Kamara shot which scraped the post as it went just inches wide. Wolves Midfielder Seyi-George Olofinjana came the closest for Wolves in the first half as he turned in the box from a Mark Little cross, hitting an Albion defender as the ball went marginally wide of the post. The deadlock was finally broken in the 44th minute, as a mix up in the Wolves defence allowed Jason Koumas, who picked up the ball in defence to run at goal in perfect solo effort, slotting the ball past Murray into a half empty net.

Wolves made two changes at half time, Craig Davies replaced by Steven Ward, and Rohan Ricketts who made way for Mark Davies, but their despair was to increase just 4 minutes after half time, as Phillips scored from a Kamara cross. There was little to note from Wolves as Albion continued to control the game in the same fashion they had done for most of the first half. A free kick was awarded to Wolves after a challenge from Albion keeper Zuberbuhler on Olofinjana, but it never threatened the Albion goal, and just minutes later McCarthy replaced the Wolves midfielder with striker Jemal Johnson. It was Johnson who proved to have Wolves best chance of the half, with a strong shot which proved little trouble for the Albion keeper. The victory was finally sealed in the 78th minute as Zoltan Gera, the subject of transfer speculation of recent times, headed in from a Koumas corner.

After much controversy of the appointment of Uriah Rennie as match referee, the game flowed well with a good performance from the ref, and only 4 players going in the book. Little for Wolves and Kamara, Clement and Zuberbuhler for Albion.

Albion boss Tony Mowbray was thrilled with the result at Molineux, in particular with the balance of his side, as they notched up two back-to-back away results for only the second time this season. Mowbray commented that “Away at Molineux is a very tough fixture and I think the players applied themselves to the task right across the field, that was as good as I've seen the balance in the team since I came here".

So the score line of October was repeated at Molineux, giving a huge overall advantage to West Brom in the local derby stakes. Wolves have a chance to get some consolation in the next meeting between the two sides during the league fixture at Molineux on 11th March. However should Albion be successful in the next round of the cup, the game will be rescheduled. And the very best of luck to them in their FA cup adventure.

Jemma