West Bromwich Albion (1) v Gillingham (0)

6 OUT OF 6
By Stuart Kidson
April 13 2004

THE BAGGIES KEPT THE PRESSURE ON NORWICH WITH A LATE LEE HUGHES TAP IN TO MAKE IT 6 OUT OF 6 FOR THE STARS IN STRIPES. EASTER WEEKEND STARTED WELL FOR THE BARMY ARMY WHO FACE A HARD TRIP TO MILLWALL BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY.

West Bromwich Albion (1) v Gillingham (0)
The Hawthorns, Saturday 10th April 2004
Nationwide League Division One

Albion kept the pressure on Norwich with a late goal from Lee Hughes after Gillingham had made life difficult for the home side with some questionable tactics during the first half. A draw was looking likely as the Baggies found it difficult to find the back of the net despite having the majority of the play.

Artim Sakiri did not even make it onto the subs bench for the game with Jason Koumas returning to the starting line up after his apparent dip in form came to an end with his match winning display at Portman Road last Sunday. Rob Hulse returned to the bench in a largely unchanged side.

The Baggies were looking to making it six wins on the bounce after both Norwich and Sunderland had won their games the previous day, but Gillingham are at the wrong end of the table and had suffered four straight defeats prior to this game. The potential for a shock defeat was there.

The home side wasted no time and were soon pressing the Gills back into their own half. Paul Robinson picked up the fastest yellow card of the season at The Hawthorns when he sliced through Danny Spiller after just 55 seconds on the clock.

Koumas looked set to continue his resurgence of form and pretty soon he was off on another of those jinking, mazy runs, which leave opponents in their wake. Often criticised for holding onto the ball too long, Koumas threaded a wonderfully weighted ball through to Lee Hughes. The ginger bearded striker decided to cut inside rather than risk a left footed shot and the attack petered out.

The Baggies were certainly in control of the game at this early stage but despite having the majority of the play, the Baggies could not make it count in the final third of the field. Sean Gregan found Hughes out wide on the left and the striker sent over a diagonal ball from wide. Only Geoff Horsfield had run into space inside the box and the ball fell harmlessly into dead space at the far post.

Moments later Robinson crossed from an almost identical position, and yet again there was no one wearing the Blue and White stripes on the end of the ball as it fell to earth. Albion were certainly attacking well and were controlling the game across midfield, the problem came in the final third of the pitch.

The Gills had obviously done their homework on the home side and were set on making it difficult for the Baggies to build up a fluid game plan. Players were going to ground for the most innocuous of challenges as they looked to frustrate and deny the home side.

Few chances fell to the Baggies forwards and the main threat was always going to come from the boot of Koumas at set pieces. The first came within the first 15 minutes when the Welsh midfielder curled the ball over and Thomas Gaardsoe got up to head over the bar. A Koumas cross was headed clear to Gregan who let fly with a rasping shot which Steve Banks did well to save.

The Kent side were beginning to frustrate both the home fans and the Baggies players with their tactics and as this frustration grew more and more mistakes were made by the home side. Passes went astray and possession lost as the Baggies tried to keep the game flowing.

Another Koumas free kick was well met by Darren Moore and his header looped up towards the far post. The ball fell invitingly for Horsfield, but the former Blues striker miscued his shot and the danger passed. Moments later the Yorkshire born striker almost made amends when he turned superbly onto Robinson’s pass but his shot went wide into the side netting.

Despite being pegged back for periods of the game, Andy Hessenthaler’s side looked comfortable in defence with determination and effort. A run of three losses away from The Priestfield has not helped The Gills league position and seen them slump to just about the drop zone, but at times they looked more than able of stopping the slide. Like The Baggies they lacked the killer finish up front.
As the half came to a conclusion the Gills dubious tactic of remaining prone on the ground after a challenge robbed Horsfield of a scoring chance when he had been put through by Johnson. This bought a round of jeers from the home fans who were clearly frustrated with the practice. Two more set piece kicks from Koumas were defended well by the visitors before the 45-minute mark was passed, but referee Mr. R. Pearson added on an extraordinary 9 minutes of injury time.

Gary Megson changed things round for the second half when Lloyd Dyer came on for Mark Kinsella, but the Gills were soon up to their old tricks and Chris Hope went to ground following a perfectly good challenge. Robinson almost found his route to goal after a quick interchange with Moore on the edge of the visitors area and the former Watford defender unleashed a fierce shot, which went just over the crossbar.

Koumas sent home fans to their feet when he went on his now trademark run past defenders inside the area. His shot did the run no justice though and Banks was able to gratefully collect the ball into his arms. The home side were starting to dictate the tempo of the play now as they went in search of the full three points to keep them within touching distance of Norwich.

With the new spirit within the team and the determination to make it 6 straight wins, Albion began to press the Gills back into their own half which saw the visitors often getting every available man back behind the ball in an attempt to deny the Baggies any room.

Koumas again tried his luck with a stunning 25 yard left footed volley but the ball went just wide of the upright and out for a goal kick. Horsfield then tried to get his name on the score sheet when he used his strength and power to hold off his marker and shoot from a very tight angle following a James Chambers pass. Banks was forced into making a good one handed save and conceding a corner.

With 15-minutes left on the clock the Gills recorded their first shot on target but it was weak and never looked likely to give Russell Hoult any trouble at all. The home side then gave away a freak corner when a Hoult clearance hit Moore on his back. The keeper was under no pressure at all but fluffed his clearance.

The game looked set to be heading towards a 0-0 score line thanks to Hessenthaler’s frustrating tactics and some solid defending but Dyer forced another corner for the home side. Koumas sent the ball across which fell to an unmarked Dyer. His left footed shot was heading towards the far post when Hughes stuck his boot out to slide the ball into the back of the Brummie Road End goal.

The sense of relief around the ground was apparent and very soon the noise levels went up as the massed ranks of Baggies fans urged their team on with ‘The Lords My Shepard’. A long ball from Johnson almost put Hughes clear but Banks raced from his goalmouth and cleared the ball into the East Stand and safety.

Not a classic football match thanks largely to the spoiling tactics on show from the visitors but a well-disciplined performance in the second half from the home side bought just rewards. The baggiesworld.co.uk Man of the Match went to Jason Koumas.

Teams
Baggies Hoult, J. Chambers, Moore, Gaardsoe, Robinson, A. Johnson, Kinsella, Gregan, Hughes, Koumas, Horsfield
Subs Murphy, Clement, Hulse, Dyer, Facey

Gills Banks, Southall, Cox, Hope, L. Johnson, Rose, Spiller, Pouton, Crofts, Agymang, Sidibe
Subs Bossou, Hills, Ashby, Hessenthaler, Jarvis