Boss dedicates win to travelling support

Last updated : 22 January 2012 By Wba-mad Editor

Baggies boss Roy Hodgson dedicated Albion’s first win on Stoke soil since 1982 to the hoards of travelling fans who made the journey up the M6.

Albion rewarded the visiting supporters with three valuable points after James Morrison’s first half goal and Graham Dorrans’ last-minute winner. 

Hodgson’s men dominated for long periods despite the absence of key players and finally ended their dreadful run on Stoke soil.

"I'm very pleased with the result, performance and the travelling support - I thought that was excellent," said the Baggies boss.

"It was a very satisfying day.

"When you've lead for so long, even survived a penalty where your goalkeeper has made a good save, and it gets that close to the end, you're hoping it's going to lead to three points.

"When their goal goes in you realise there is a good chance it's not going to be three points and, furthermore, the team that scores that late goal often has the initiative and gets a second goal.

"So I thought it was very strong of our team to come back and get the winning goal themselves, when most people would have had Stoke down as having the impetus."

He added: "I thought we had a few good chances in the second half and we needed that second goal.

"I thought it was going to come.

"I think Jerome Thomas was trying to screw their full-back into the ground before he released a shot on one or two occasions!

"But there were a few good opportunities, saves by their goalkeeper, and near misses.

"Against a team like Stoke, the ball is in your box a lot and a lot of times you can't stop it coming in.

"You just have to hope you can deal with it and the knockdowns fall kindly for you."

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