West Bromwich Albion 4-1 Bristol City
By Jemma Tappenden
December 27 2007
After conceding top spot to Watford at the weekend with a defeat at Stoke, The Baggies were hoping a fixture at home against third placed side Bristol City would provide them with the opportunity to snatch it back. Already in the knowledge that Watford had only picked up a point in their home fixture with Cardiff earlier in the afternoon,
Albion could draw level on points with Watford with their far superior goal difference enough to place them on top.
It was only goal difference which separated Bristol City and Albion before this fixture kicked off. Mowbray made two changes to the side which fell at the Britannia Stadium, Kevin Phillips and James Morrison, now back to full fitness replacing Chris Brunt and Filipe Teixeira.
In front of a full house at the Hawthorns it was Bristol who drew first blood in terms of chances. In the third minute the Baggies struggled to clear a Lee Johnson left wing free kick, allowing Lee Trundle to fire a shot at keeper Dean Kiely. Unable to hold the ball, Kiely could only watch as the loose ball bobbled around in the box. But in a mad scramble, somehow the danger was cleared by a quick reacting defence.
Although the first ten minutes had the Baggies unsettled, they soon started to settle. In the 8th minute Bednar connected to a Hoefkens cross, which he back heeled towards City keeper Adriano Basso. Although the Bristol keeper was seemingly beaten, the ball trickled powerless past the post for a goal kick. Moments later, a lively Zoltan Gera tried his luck with a 30 yard pile driver, but this time Basso was equal to the shot and held the ball well. Moments later Basso was called into action again as this time Kevin Phillips, played in by Koren let rip a fierce 25 yard shot which had the City keeper at full stretch to his left.
It was Dean Kiely who was next called upon to make a save, Marvin Elliot fired a stinging 15 yard volley at the Baggies keeper, which he did well to palm away to keep the scores level. The game was now end to end, with both sides notching up chances. In the 22nd minute there was some confusion when a large proportion of the Hawthorns was brought to its feet in celebration of what looked like a Kevin Phillips opening goal. But deceived by angles the given goal kick signified that the ball had in fact hit the side netting.
In the 26th minute Albion were denied again by an inform Basso, who kept his side on level terms when Phillips provided a looping header from a Jonathan Greening free kick. As the half entered the final third, Albion started to really apply the pressure. Once again it was Basso that saved City. A Morrison run down the left had seen him get in an awkward but fine cross which reached Roman Bednar. The on-form striker hit the underside of the cross bar, and as the ball bounced loosely in the box, somehow it was the City keeper who got their first to claw the ball away.
Both Phillips and Gera came close with chances before the 40th minute threw up a real moment of controversy. Gera had provided a perfect throughball to Bednar, who with strength and pace had shrugged of most of the Robins’ defence and looked clear through on goal. Last man Liam Fontaine brought the onloan striker crashing down to the ground just on the edge of the box. Referee Martin Atkinson produced only a yellow card after he had been surrounded by protesting players from both sides. The resulting free kick drifted harmlessly over the bar, and Baggies fans were still reeling at the ref’s decision.
Gera saw another Volley miss by just inches as half time approached, but it was Bristol who had the last chance of the half. Trundle provided a probing cross which the Albion defence were relieved to see Showunmi head well over. The ref signalled that half time had arrived, and it was Bristol who were the more relieved of the two sides as they made their way down the tunnel.
Half Time: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Bristol City
The second half continued with a flurry of chances, and it took West Brom no more than 90 seconds to take the lead. Hoefkens on a brilliant run did well to keep the ball in play down the right, then get in a cross. Bednar was the man in waiting in the box, and so decent was the cross that it merely required a flick from the Czech striker to put Albion a goal in front.
Albion had clearly moved up a gear or two since half time, and Bristol were now struggling to contain the Baggies as they came back time and time again to record more chances. A Greening corner nearly brought the Hawthorns to its feet again 5 minutes after the opener, but Gera headed just wide. Attacking a pack, Gera, Phillips and Bednar were all involved in a move which teed up Koren nicely. But Basso once again was the man to save City with a fine block. The loose ball was then cleared by McAllister before Bednar could pounce.
Bostjan Cesar tried his luck with a volley next. He had the City defence well beat, but Basso was their once again to gather the ball into his arms. In the 56th minute Bristol recorded their first chance of the half, Lee Trundle finding space on the left, and going for goal himself saw his effort flash just inches wide of the post. Kevin Phillips missed a rare chance when a mix up between Bradley Orr and Jamie McCombe presented the ball to Super Kev on a plate. But from 18 yards the 11 goal man was just wide of the target.
On the hour mark Baggies fans held their breath when Johnson found himself in acres of space at Kiely’s far post. It should have been 1-1, but Kiely, called into action for the first time in the half made an excellent save to his right to keep the Baggies a goal to the good. Moments later Albion should have doubled their lead. Basso, for once making a rare mistake fluffed his clearance straight to Bednar just outside the box. Bednar took a first time shot, which he watched drift just wide of an empty net.
In the 67th minute Albion grabbed a well deserved second goal. Gera made a clever lay of to Koren, who collected and let rip a 25 yard screamer which had Basso in the City goal well beaten. And it could have been three from the restart when Morrison got the better of Orr before turning a left footed strike just wide. They didn’t have to wait long however before it was three. Super striker Kevin Phillips took advantage of a poor pass from McCombe when he crossed across his own box. Picking up the ball Phillips stormed past stranded Basso to slot home into an empty net for his 12th goal of the season.
Just minutes later Bristol City should have pulled a goal back with what was arguably their best chance of the match. Sproule provided an inch perfect cross which found substitute Darren Byfield in the centre. With only Kiely to beat from close range Byfield miscued and the ball went harmlessly out of play.
With 15 minutes left The Baggies nailed the final nail into the coffin for Bristol. Morrison pulled back the ball to Phillips, who was in place to slot home from 15 yards for goal number 13. Lucky for Phillips was not so lucky for Basso, who having had a good game all round this time will feel he should have done better as Phillips shot crept under his body to allow Albion their fourth. Albion could have easily had a fifth moments later, but were foiled yet again by Basso – who undoubtedly kept the score at a lowly four for his Bristol side, when Ishmael Miller, a second half substitute fired in a low shot from clever play by Gera.
Some small consolation arrived for Bristol when Byfield did pull back a goal with 5 minutes to go. Making up for his previous error Byfield was first to the ball when Albion failed to clear a Johnson free kick. Amazingly Albion played out the remaining 5 minutes with a flurry of further chances, Basso once again playing saviour for Bristol on this Boxing Day clash at the Hawthorns. So the Baggies snatched all three points, and retook their place at the head of the Championship table.
Full Time: West Bromwich Albion 4-1 Bristol City
Bednar (47)
Koren (67)
Phillips (72, 75)
(85)
Attendance: 27,340