City stunned by early Albion onslaught

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WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2, BRISTOL CITY 0 (Half-time)

 

In-form West Brom made a flying start to today’s big Coca-Cola Championship clash at the Hawthorns.

Roberto Di Matteo’s Premier League millionaires stamped their authority from the start and forged a two-goal lead inside 12 minutes.

City were stunned when Jerome Thomas gave the home side the lead after just three minutes and their defence was again all at sea as Chris Brunt seized upon a mistake to make it 2-0 nine minutes later.

And to make matters worse for the visitors, Jamie McAllister was forced to limp off after sustaining an injury on 17 minutes.

City made one change from the side which came from behind to earn a point at Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago.

Manager Gary Johnson had little choice but to leave out Costa Rica striker Alvaro Saborio after he arrived back later than expected from international duty.

Saborio was supposed to return from South America on Friday afternoon after featuring in Costa Rica’s World Cup play-off against Uruguay in Montevideo on Wednesday night. But Costa Rica officials instead booked him on a later flight and he arrived after the team coach had departed for the Midlands.

Saborio was driven to the Hawthorns by car, but Johnson decided to relegate him to the substitutes’ bench, recall big centre-back Jamie McCombe to the starting line-up and adopt a 3-5-2 formation.

Left wing-back McAllister recovered from a groin strain in time to play, while Johnson opted to pair the in-form Nicky Maynard and Danny Haynes in attack.

Second in the table behind Newcastle United and victorious in their last two outings, Albion remained unchanged.

And as befitted a team high on confidence, Albion began as though they meant business, taking the game to their opponents in rain-swept conditions. Striker Luke Moore was the first to threaten, seizing on a mistake by Lewin Nyatanga and drilling a low shot into the side-netting.

Undeterred, City launched an incisive counter of their own, Maynard beating keeper Scott Carson in a race for the ball and crossing to Cole Skuse, whose sweetly-struck volley was cleared off the line by defender Gianni Zuiverloon.

City were still reorganising when the home side caught them on the break, Thomas surging into space on the edge of the penalty area, stepping inside a challenge and beating keeper Dean Gerken with a well-placed drive from 18 yards to put Di Matteo’s team in front after just three minutes.

It was the worst possible start for City, who were beaten 4-1 on their last visit to the Hawthorns two seasons ago.

But they continued to give as good as they got and former England keeper Carson was forced to tip a header from McCombe behind for a corner after McAllister’s free kick caused consternation in the home defence.

There was no sign of the pace slackening and City’s defence was again carved wide open in the 12^th minute as Albion took advantage of a moment of indecision to double their lead.

Centre-backs Louis Carey and McCombe left a lofted through ball from Graham Dorrans to one another and, in the process, allowed Northern Ireland midfielder Brunt an opportunity he should never have had. Permitted a clean run on goal, Brunt made no mistake, rounding the helpless Gerken and side-footing his angled shot just inside the far post.  

City suffered a further setback moments later, McAllister going down under a heavy challenge from Dutchman Zuiverloon and requiring treatment. Although he regained his feet, it soon became apparent he was unable to continue and the Scot was replaced by Gavin Williams, who took up a position on the right of midfield in a revamped 4-4-2 system. Evander Sno switched to the left of midfield with Skuse and Nyatanga operating as full-backs in a flat back four.

Desperate to get back into the game, the visitors forced Albion onto the back foot and Carson was twice called upon to deal with shots from the lively Maynard.

Albion continued to carve out the better chances and Dorrans should have scored when meeting Brunt’s free kick delivery with a first-time shot which skewed wide of the target from 12 yards.

Still City battled to find a way back and Paul Hartley came within a whisker of reducing the arrears, whipping a free kick over the defensive wall and inches beyond Carson’s left-hand post on the half hour mark.

Albion suffered unwanted disruption of their own when left-back Joe Mattock crumpled under a tackle from Marvin Elliott and was stretchered off, to be replaced by Slovakian defender Marek Cech.

City’s lack of pace in midfield and defence was causing them problems and Gerken made a good save to keep out Brunt’s swirling free kick after the maurauding Thomas drew a foul on the edge of the 18 yard box.

Albion (4-4-2): Carson; Zuiverloon, Meite, Olsson, Mattock (Cech 31); Brunt, Dorrans, Jara, Thomas; Cox, Moore.

City (4-3-3): Gerken; Skuse, Carey, Nyatanga, McAllister (Williams 17); Sno, Elliott, Hartley; Haynes, Saborio, Maynard.

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)