West Bromwich Albion - 2 (Noore 81. Dyer 86.)
Crystal Palace - 0

Crystal Palace managed a win against League leaders Norwich City last week, so they were never going to be able to get two out of two in this match, and so it proved. They did manage to limit the home side in the first half, and perhaps better things could have been hoped for, but that is another story.

The first attack on goal came from Lee Hughes (not to be confused with Michael Hughes, of Palace) who sent a shot just wide of the mark before a foul by Neil Shipperley, on Darren Moore, saw Andy Johnson (the WBA player, not ours) take the free kick. Danny Butterfield got the ball into the centre of the goalmouth, though Thomas Gaardsoe cleared it without any trouble. Hughes fouled Tony Popovic, the free kick being taken by Palace keeper Nico Vaesen, and Johnson fouled Neil, this time the kick being taken by Michael. Danny B tried his trademark long-range shot that went over the top of the bar, and Tony tried a shot from the edge of the area that also sailed over the top of the woodwork.

Rob Hulse was caught offside, the kick being taken by Mark Hudson before a corner to West Brom, sent in by Artim Sakiri saw a shot fired in by Gaardsoe that went wide of the mark. Wayne Routledge got the ball into the area, but Russell Hoult held on to it quite easily. Hulse fouled Tony, though shortly after Gaardsoe got a cross into our area, the clearance being effected by Tony. A couple of free kicks to Palace led to Julian Gray getting a cross in, but the ball went out of play without an attacking player being able to get on the end of it.

Johnson (WBA) tried a ball into the centre that Nico did well to hang on to, and then Mark Kinsella attempted a shot, his effort going just wide of the upright. A series of free kicks to the home side led to a corner that was fired in by Sakiri, but once again Tony was on hand to clear the danger. Hughes sent the ball back into the middle, but this time Mikele Leigertwood made the clearance, and then James Chambers got the ball in, Sakiri headed it goalwards, and the attempt sailed just wide of the post. Chambers tried again, this time Hulse heading the ball the other side, wide of the post, and Kinsella tried a shot that missed in the same fashion.

Hughes tried again, and missed once more, and the next time the ball came into our area Tony cleared the danger. Though two minutes was added on there was only time for the home team to try one more shot, this time Hughes firing the ball over the top of the bar, and the sides marched off for the break still locked up at the same scoreline that they started, 0-0.

Iain Dowie would have been pleased with the defensive effort, but would have been asking more of the attack in the second half.

The second half started much the same as the first half finished, with West Brom making all the running, the first action seeing Hughes fire in a shot that Nico tipped round the post. Neil, showing that all the Palace players were helping out at the back, cleared the resulting corner. A couple of fouls helped our cause before Paul Robinson was caught offside, and finally we won a corner that Julian played into the box, Tony's header just missing the target.

Julian was then booked for unsporting behaviour, and the home side decided on a change of personnel, Jason Koumas replacing Sakiri. Andrew Johnson tried a shot that went wide of the upright, and West Brom decided on another change, this time taking off Hulse and bringing on Delroy Facey. A cross into the centre from Wayne was cleared by Robinson, and then a corner to Palace was made safe by Sean Gregan.

Play bogged down for a few minutes before the home side won a corner, and as Koumas sent the ball into our area Tony was again on hand to mop up the danger. Michael got a good cross in to AJ, his header being well dealt with by the keeper, and then Danny B tried another shot, this one also going wide. West Brom made their final change of the afternoon, with Kinsella being replaced by Lloyd Dyer, and then Danny B was booked for a foul on new man Dyer, but the free kick never looked like giving the home side any advantage. Hughes was caught offside, but then disaster struck.

Koumas fired a corner into our area, and Darren Moore, standing unmarked in the centre of our area coolly headed the ball into the back of the net to open proceedings, with only some 10 minutes left on the clock. Palace now decided to make what would prove to be their only change of the afternoon, with Tommy Black coming on to replace Mikele, so obviously Iain was going all out for strike power. Dyer tried a shot that went, once more, wide of the mark, but then Facey got a cross in that Dyer simply met with force, the ball ending up in the back of the net to really put an end to things for the day's play.

Nico caught the ball as it sailed in from a cross by Robinson, and at the other end Danny B fired a cross in that Neil headed goalwards, the woodwork saving the home side on this occasion. Michael tried a shot that went wide once more, and despite three minutes of added on time Palace was unable to get a goal back. The final whistle sounded, and presumably our hopes of a play-off position were dashed. Still, next week we have a rest from action, as Sunderland are still involved in the Cup, and then we go on to the rearranged fixture against Rotherham. Perhaps three more points beckons there?

Colin Pryce

West Bromwich Albion: Russell Hoult, Sean Gregan, Darren Moore, Thomas Gaardsoe, James Chambers, Andy Johnson, Mark Kinsella (Lloyd Dyer 74), Artim Sakiri (Jason Koumas 55), Paul Robinson, Rob Hulse (Delroy Facey 60), Lee Hughes.

Substitutes not used: Neil Clement, Joe Murphy.

Crystal Palace: Nico Vaesen, Danny Butterfield, Mark Hudson, Tony Popovic, Danny Granville, Wayne Routledge, Mikele Leigertwood (Tommy Black 84), Michael Hughes, Julian Gray, Andrew Johnson, Neil Shipperley.

Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Shaun Derry, Gary Borrowdale, Aki Riihilahti.

Attendance: 24,990

Referee: Mr J P Robinson