Baggies' battling qualities please boss

Last updated : 15 December 2009 By Wba-mad Editor

Roberto Di Matteo praised the never-say-die attitude of his players after watching his team rescue a point with almost the last kick of the game.  Simon Cox’s equaliser in the last minute of added time completed a dramatic comeback from the Baggies after falling 2-0 behind after 62 minutes.

Albion started the game on the offensive with a number of chances falling the home side’s way.  However neither Simon Cox nor Jerome Thomas could find a way past visiting ‘keeper Redek Cerny in the first-half. 

The Baggies were made to pay after the break when Jonas Olsson headed into his own net under pressure and Kaspars Gorkss capitalised on a lucky Joe Mattock rebound to make it two just after the hour mark.

Jerome Thomas sixth goal of the season started a dramatic comeback from Albion when he smashed home a volley only five minutes after QPR’s second.  The lifeline saw a barrage of Albion pressure with Cerny in fine form to deny both Wood and Cox.  However as the Baggies looked set for back-to-back defeats, Cerny could only parry Wood’s rasping shot into the path of the on rushing Cox who side-footed his sixth goal in nine games to the relief of the home supporters.

“The way the game went, I guess a point is better than nothing so I am trying to look at the positive side of things," Roberto Di Matteo said

"We stayed in the game and the players fought really hard for the point.

"I thought we deserved a little bit more because we had some very good chances to win the game but we didn't quite manage to score the goals.

"At the moment, they're not going in for us.

"But I'm sure the goals will come again if we keep creating chances.

"Sooner or later, we are going to score them.

"Thankfully, Coxy showed some composure in front of goal, that's for sure, and also Chris Wood beforehand got the ball down well and defended it well in the build-up.

"Jerome has been out for a couple of games so we always have to be careful with him but we couldn't take him off because we really needed to push on and get the equaliser."

Despite being relived with an unexpected point the Italian bemoaned Albion’s rearguard after conceding as a result of a free-kick and a corner – the first goal conceded this way this season.

"Our weakness in the last three games has definitely been conceding," Di Matteo continued.

"I don't think it's the first time we have dug in like that to get something from a game but we have definitely been leaking too many goals in the last three matches.

"The first goal was an own goal from a corner and that's the first time we have conceded from a corner, so we have been good on that to date.

"For their second goal, Dean Kiely got his hands to the free-kick and it bounced off Joe Mattock and went in front of their player."