City 1 West Brom 2
City went into this top of the table clash hoping to extend their run of 3 successive wins including the last 2 away match victories, QPR having been an excellent performance, and an unbeaten 6 game sequence, with the Foxes faithful turning out to almost beat the highest crowd of the campaign set against local rivals Derby a few weeks ago.
Nigel Pearson had no injury worries so unsurprisingly kept the same starting line-up with an impressive looking bench that lower teams in the league would just love to pick from, and this game against their West Midlands rivals promised a searching test for the Albion, whose loyal fans filled the away supporters corner of the Walkers, creating a good atmosphere on this Remembrance Day fixture.
After the now familiar Post Horn Gallop to greet the teams, the trumpeter faltering on a few late notes, the stadium announcer stated there would be the playing of The Last Post followed by the traditional one minute’s silence. Unfortunately, some of the idiots in the ground failed to notice the start of the minute’s silence much to the anger of everyone with the sound of “hush” finally getting through to the idiots!
The game started evenly with both sides pushing forward and Danny N’Guessan went on a good run down the left but the Albion cleared the danger. The ball found it’s way to Albion’s left back, Joe Mattock, and he must have realised his lack of popularity with the Foxes fans as everytime he touched the ball the East Stand “Kop” were vicious with their boos and comments, some of which are unprintable!
The Albion’s mid-field were beginning to pass the ball around very well as their City markers struggled to contain them and they looked particularly dangerous down the City’s right, with Brunt already showing his class. Thomas had a shot saved by Chris Weale from a corner and Wayne Brown managed to block 2 shots very well from the Baggie’s strikers whose intentions were to shoot on sight….
The impressive Luke Moore’s shot flew wide and then good work by Richie Wellens and Matt Fryatt set up Matt Oakley for a long range shot that had no power in it as went wide, unfortunately chances falling always on Oakley’s “wrong” foot. The game swung from end to end and N’Guessan was having a good game on the left, pity he wasn’t switched over to the right to give Mattock’s lack of pace a test, easy to see from the top of the East Stand.
City’s mid-field were struggling to contain the Albion’s forwards runs and a shot from 12 yards out from Moore was well saved and held on to by Weale. Martyn Waghorn was running his heart out up front to try and get into the game and Carson had to be alert as Waghorn forced his way through. Then Wellens set up Waghorn and on the turn his shot from 8 yards went straight to the falling Carson on his line who held on well.
In the 37th minute the game took a dramatic turn, as on their left an Albion mid-fielder received the ball and as he headed for the City’s box, Oakley tackled and referee Swarbrick awarded a debatable free kick, much to the City’s players disgust. Weale positioned his wall and Graham Dorrans took the kick, not the hardest shot, but it went through everyone finding the far corner of the net, unfortunately no City player on the line to stop it.
As Skipper Oakley was yellow-carded for the previous tackle, he was replaced immediately by Paul Gallagher, perhaps he had now reached 5 cautions and Pearson knew he would miss the next game, but it appears he did have a groin injury.
Then disaster in the 40th minute, as the ball reached Albion’s £1.4 million Chile international signing from Colo Colo, Gonzalo Jara, and from fully 30 yards out, his low shot flew past the diving Weale into the same corner of the net, no tackle coming in from City’s mid-fielders. The Baggie’s supporters were ecstatic as they now had a 2 goal advantage.
Andy King left the field in the 42nd minute, seemingly with a suspected broken arm, with Ryan McGivern coming on at left back, Bruno Berner going into mid-field. City pushed forward for an early reply but N’Guessan was declared to have fouled the centre half, although overall he was probably City’s best player in the first half. Half-time arrived and Pearson said “Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong” and he must have had a difficult time motivating his disappointed players in the changing rooms.
As the second half started, City really should have reduced the arrears in the first minute. Fryatt did well on the right, beating 2 players and as his ball was crossed into the 6 yard box, an unmarked Gallagher had a simple tap in from 4 yards but he completely missed his kick, the ball eventually cleared much to the Albion defenders relief.
Albion’s Moore then had a 25 yard shot saved well by Weale low down. If City’s players could shoot from such distance perhaps more chances would come but they seemed nervous to test Carson from distance, unlike Albion who were shooting at every opportunity they could. When was the last time a City player scored from 30 yards?
However, on 52 minutes, Waghorn set up Berner on the middle of the penalty area but again his shot went feabily wide when well placed. Brunt’s close range header was saved well by Weale and again another shot from Thomas had to be saved as the Baggies were always threatening on the break.
With 30 minutes to go, Steve Howard replaced N’Guessan with Waghorn going on the right. The referee was continually getting in the way of the Albion’s midfielders, with the assessor in the stand taking notes for sure, but the official did have one good moment when Albion’s no. 22 broke through, was clearly fouled, but the official played a good advantage that luckily for the City came to nothing.
Wellens lost the ball after being indecisive then Albion’s Simon Cox was replaced by Mulumbu. With Howard on, City then started sending every ball into the box hoping a flick on or a re-bound would lead to a chance and Howard did well at a corner, setting up Fryatt but Carson saved as a succession of City corners came to nothing.
Again Weale had to save well from a long shot as Thomas was replaced by Cech. A foul on Howard won the Foxes a free kick and as the ball fell to Jack Hobbs, his shot went wildly over. Training ground practice for all of them on Monday Nigel!!! Fryatt cut in from the right but as usual tried to shoot from a narrow angle with Howard and Waghorn unmarked on the penalty spot.
As City pushed forward, Albion should have increased their advantage with 12 minutes to go as Man-of-the-Match Moore broke through but his lob over the advancing Weale hit the top of City’s cross bar. The defence were continually trying to feed Waghorn on the right but the service to him was poor and didn’t give him a chance to use his pace. McGivern had a few runs down the left but most of his crosses came to nothing.
Gallagher was beginning to show his class in the middle of mid-field with some good runs and passes, surely will be there for the Plymouth game next up? Bednar replaced Moore with 5 minutes to go and Waghorn shot frustratingly wide from 30 yards.
A ball into the box found Howard who was clearly fouled with a defender’s arms all round him, something that regularly happens to him, and 2 minutes into injury time, 25 yards out, the same thing happened to Howard and the referee awarded a free kick this time, much to the City fans cynical cheers. Gallagher took the kick, Carson saved at his near post but Berner was on hand to tap in from close range.
City pushed forward but the 5 minutes of stoppage time ran out, the points secured by a happy band of Baggie’s players and supporters. Even the Albion Manager Di Matteo was seen to smile! The Albion no. 3 defender goaded the Foxes Kop as he did the City players each time they scored, not needed but perhaps relief at 3 points secured away from home.
City slip down to 6th place on the same points as the 3 teams above them, but a gap between the Geordies and the Baggies is now developing, play-off places now being eagerly fought for, but there is still a long way to go and after the International break, 3 points against Plymouth is a must, but it will not be easy as they are starting to pick up from a disappointing start. Pearson acknowledged the Albion were the better side on the day but still seems positive about City’s promotion ambitions.
City: Weale, Neilson, Hobbs, Brown, Berner, Oakley (Gallagher), King (McGivern), Wellens, N’Guessan (Howard), Fryatt, Waghorn. Subs not used : Logan, Campbell, Morrison, Kermogant.
WBA: Carson, Zuiverloon, Mattock, Olson, Meite, Brunt, Thomas (Cech), Dorrans, Jara, Moore (Bednar), Cox (Mulumbu). Subs not used: Kiely, Martis, koren, Texeira.
Referee: N. Swarbrick Crowd: 28,748
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation