West Brom 3, Sheffield United 1: Chris Lepkowski's big match verdict

Feb 1 2010 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail

SATURDAY wasn’t a bad day for West Bromwich Albion.

Newcastle drew, Nottingham Forest lost... and Albion finally convinced in a home fixture.

It is a little unfair to be too critical of Albion’s Hawthorns form. Their away record is so good that anything but perfection at home would always seem underwhelming.

Yet there has to be an element of disappointment over Albion’s displays at B71. Saturday put many of those problems to rest.

In fairness, Albion were aided. They came up against a team who played to their strengths.

Instead of reversing the team coach across the pitch, they actually tried to beat Albion. They came at them, they attacked, they showed purpose, endeavour and heart.

Albion were, in turn, able to play their ‘away’ counter-attacking system.

The Baggies took the lead when the inventive Graham Dorrans flipped the ball around Nick Montgomery. The United defender, cradling Dorrans, reacted by handling the ball. It was a penalty, no question.

Dorrans converted Albion’s third penalty in as many games to put them ahead.

Roman Bednar scored the second. It was a beautifully-crafted goal, which started from a typical Albion counter.

Chris Brunt passed to Youssouf Mulumbu, who slipped the ball to Gonzalo Jara. He passed to Bednar, who sent Jerome Thomas racing away down the left wing.

The ex-Arsenal man planted a pass back to Bednar, who side-footed a low shot past Mark Bunn.

United pulled one back in the 48th minute. Mulumbu challenged Stephen Quinn in Albion’s penalty area as he attempted to clear the ball from inside his own box. Quinn fell and referee Mick Russell blew for a penalty.

Darius Henderson made sure of the goal with a well-taken spot-kick. It lifted Sheffield. But not for long. Within seconds Albion were further ahead.

Dorrans, playmaker-in-chief, sent Thomas darting down the left wing. He cut inside and smashed a shot into the top corner. Game won.

But it’s the manner and nature of Albion’s win which should encourage. The Baggies needed a victory at The Hawthorns. And it needed to be convincing, emphatic even.

A 3-1 victory isn’t emphatic, although Albion had chances to stretch the lead.

More so, they played with a swagger which suggested their confidence was restored back to a period where it was earlier this season when they were sweeping aside all-comers.

They are now within touching distance of Forest and close enough to Newcastle to raise worries – the Magpies, remember, are not a club who do pressure particularly well, regardless of division or circumstances. If there’s a crisis, you can guarantee Newcastle’s satnav will send them there.

Albion’s task is to keep picking up such results. Saturday was a ‘benchmark’ outcome in so many ways. It was one Albion needed.