Sunday, 2 October 2011

Albion 3-2 Blackpool

West Brom ended their incredible losing streak when they entertained Blackpool on the 15th January 2011. Both sides had been promoted from the Championship at the end of last season, however the Seasiders had come out victorious when the sides met at Bloomfield Road in November, when Michael Oliver had sent both Gonzalo Jara and Pablo Ibanez off. The Baggies showed fighting spirit that night with 9 men, going down 2-1, and manager Roberto Di Matteo would have wanted more of the same attitude today. The teams were as follows:


ALBION (4-2-3-1): Myhill; Jara, Scharner, Tamas, Cech; Mulumbu (Shorey 89), Dorrans (Tchoyi 85); Brunt, Morrison (Cox 70), Thomas; Odemwingie. Subs not used: Carson (gk), Ibanez, Bednar, Zuiverloon.
BLACKPOOL (4-3-3): Kingson; Eardley (Ormerod 67), Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey; Vaughan, Adam, Grandin (Phillips 54); Taylor-Fletcher, Campbell, Varney (Baptiste 77). Subs not used: Rachubka (gk), Southern, Euell, Sylvestre.
Within seconds of the match beginning, Blackpool really should have taken the lead after the much talked about Charlie Adam found DJ Campbell, yet the former Blues man dragged his shot wide of the post. A let off for Albion, but soon the Seasider's early pressure paid off. A corner wasn't cleared properly and David Vaughan launched the ball into the top corner past stand in keeper Boaz Myhill. An exquisite goal, but an effort that the Baggies defence should never have allowed to happen.


This stunned the Baggies into life, realising that they were staring a sixth straight defeat in the face. Peter Odemwingie skipped past a couple of defenders down the left before crossing to the back post. Chris Brunt, unmarked, blazed over, albeit with his weaker right foot.

Brunt soon after had another chance to make amends, but again shot just wide. The Baggies had all of the running after the Tangerines had taken the lead, but early on were not able to capitalise on some sloppy defensive play.

The equaliser DID come before half time, however. James Morrison, on the edge of Blackpool's penalty area, weaved his way past a couple of orange shirts before allowing Odemwingie to net from no more than 7 yards out. For that reason, the half time whistle seemed to suit the Seasiders more than Albion, giving them the chance to regalvanise while the Throstles would have seen it as a loss of momentum.

The early stages of the second half were scrappy, a match you could now really say was a six pointer. A dogged performance in goal from Welshman Myhill was the only reason that Blackpool didn't find themselves level again, whereas West Brom were finding it tough to beat Richard Kingson in the opposite goal.

The crucial third goal came not too long after this period of end-to-end chaos: James Morrison, who incidentally was the best player on the pitch, managed to poke home after a defensive mix up between Neil Eardley and Kingson. The Hawthorns fans were now behind their team once again, as they looked to be in the points for the first time in seven matches.

But Blackpool were not to return to their nothern home without a fight. Substitute winger Matt Phillips received a ball from Charlie Adam which spilt Albion's defence, before Phillips coolly put the ball across the six yard box, where striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher couldn't miss. It looked as though a point had been rescued- and that West Brom's woes would continue.

And they may well have done, had it not been for Craig Cathcart's moment of hesitation. A long ball in the dying minutes from Gabriel Tamas saw Cathcart allow the ball to bounce, giving Peter Odemwingie the chance to nip in and nudge the ball past the helpless Kingson. A significant celebration followed, where Odemwingie went straight to the Baggie's team physio to congratulate him on his work of helping the Nigerian back from injury.

Finally, it looks as though the pressure currently upon Roberto Di Matteo may now have lifted slightly and he has his eight-goal striker to thank.

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