After leaving a snowy and chilly Great Barr and passing through an even more snowy Yorkshire I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the four-to-six-to-eight inches of snow which was forecast depending on who you spoke to. The yellow slips presented on arrival filled with me with even less optimism today would be an afternoon to remember – in the end it just about was.
Roberto Di Matteo made six changes to the team which beat Peterborough last week with Scott Carson replacing Dean Kiely; Shelton Martis replacing Abdoulaye Meite and Marek Cech in for Joe Mattock; Youssouf Mulumbu and Filipe Teixeira replacing Gianni Zuiverloon and Jerome Thomas - with Gonzalo Jara dropping back to right back; Roman Bednar was also favoured up front instead of Luke Moore.
The Early Stages
It was a scrappy start from both sides with the hosts and visitors seemingly struggling to get the ball down and try and avoid the bumps and divots of the Galpharm Stadium. While conditions may have not been ideal it was a number of sloppy errors which featured on numerous occasions by both sides. The players which Di Matteo had recalled – particularly Cech, Mulumbu and Bednar – struggled early on to either initially control the ball and pass it to another red shirt.
Huddersfield has an enviable record at home and were in no mood to give the Baggies an easy afternoon. I’m not sure whether this is their usual tactic but they played with 11 men behind the ball whenever we had it in the early stages. At times it was difficult to see who the home or away side was.
Albion should’ve taken the lead when Chris Brunt whipped over an inviting cross in the 14th minute searching for the head of Roman Bednar. With the striker off the pace the ball found its way through to Dorrans who had the simple task of tapping past a static Smithies in the home goal. Whether Dorrans thought he was offside – like the majority of Albion fans did – or the ball took another ‘bobble’ I’m not sure but the midfielder ended up tamely side-footing over the bar.
With the Baggies’ players struggling to string two passes together and Huddersfield having little creativity at the other end it was another 15 minutes until the Albion threatened next. The only entertainment came from chants of “We saw your Mom on Jeremy Kyle” or “Your tracksuit’s from Matalan” by the packed away end.
In the next attack worth mentioning Dorrans picked up the ball on Albion’s left and found Brunt with a beautiful diagonal ball. The left-footed winger again cut inside and looked to shape a curling shot however got it horribly wrong and sent it into the 50-odd home supporters behind the goal. Yes, you read that right. Only 50 fans in the lower tier behind the goal!
Brunt was to trouble Smithies in the 39th minute when Cox fed the winger who decided to keep his effort down this time with the ‘keeper doing well to turn the ball around his near post.
Although playing well below par it was Albion with the more purpose and quality when going forward. Cox cleverly dropped deep to pick up a Dorrans pass before turning on the edge of area and proceeding for a one-two with Bednar. What the Czech striker didn’t realise however that he had acres of room to turn and shoot but frustratingly returned the pass which resulted into the welcoming arms of Smithies when he should’ve been tested far more.
The hosts rallied briefly moments before the break and gave particularly Northy and the women next to me a moment of ‘squeaky bum time’! Novak’s inviting cross from the right looked to be connecting with the head of Jordan Rhodes yards from goal before Shelton Martis got his barrel chest in the way of the striker in a clear case of obstruction. Much to the amazement of the lady next to me the home shouts were waved away. In the same passage of play Mulumbu failed to clear the ball from the edge of the area with his header looping up in the air. Brunt, in trying to win the aerial challenge, gave away a dangerous free-kick 20 yards from goal. The ball was whipped in towards Carson’s far post with Jonas Olsson grappling with an opposition defender. Again the home fans cried foul as the ball trickled over the byline for an Albion goal kick. Northy to the side of me was having kittens!
After the break
Huddersfield were far better in the second half and more than matched the Baggies. Town played with a purpose, work rate and tempo after the break a number of Albion players simply didn’t seem to want to match. Albion were given a big let off immediately after half-time when Gonzalo Jara let a ball bounce over his head and conceded a free-kick in trying to win the ball back. The ball was swung over and a free header from Michael Collins should have hit Carson’s net instead of the empty seats behind the goal.
Up to this point Albion’s best effort of the game came when Roman Bednar peeled away from his marker to head the ball down to Marek Cech with his back to goal. The left-back excellently swivelled and shot in the same motion with his volley agonisingly crashing back off the angle of bar and post.
After Cech’s shot it was all Huddersfield with Carson making a good save at the feet of Roberts after the midfielder found himself free at the back post. There seemed to be only one team who were going to score and it wasn’t Albion! Teixeria’s threat from the first half had gone, Dorrans and the disappointing Mulumbu had gone missing in midfield, Cox and Bednar were simply not working together up front. Albion were not functioning!
The hosts again came close to opening the scoring just after the hour when Rhodes was found by a headed knockdown with the young striker pulling his effort only inches wide with Scott Carson stuck to his line.
By this time Roberto Di Matteo had seen enough. Off came Tex with Robert Koren now playing on the right and Brunt back on the left. The Slovenian captain brought somewhat of a calming influence as he tried to get the ball down and play the simple pass Dorrans regularly refused to do.
However it was still the home side with the impetus going forward. Town again attacked down Albion’s right and flashed the ball across the goal with Carson having to make a double save from Pilkington.
Moments before I thought about saying to my Dad, “We’re going to lose this” we were in front in the 79th minute. Albion broke swiftly from a Huddersfield corner with Koren picking the ball up on the edge of the area. The midfielder fed Bednar who managed to get the ball out of his feet and on to Brunt. The winger fed Dorrans who raced clear and bent the ball into the corner of the net to send 2,392 visiting fans into rapture.
With Albion 1-0 up there was only going to be one winner as Huddersfield seemed to have the life drained out of them. Town pushed forward for an equaliser however left dangerous gaps for us to exploit.
Brunt found the ball in the middle of the park and played a clever reverse pass into the young Chris Wood. The striker at first seemed a little nervous in front of goal but did well to hold off the defender and chip the ball over the oncoming Smithies. Albion 2-0 up and into the fourth round of the cup.
On reflection
This was far from a stellar performance from the Baggies but when Roberto Di Matteo took over he insisted he’d bring successful winning football to Albion. Can you really complain if your team wins? I don’t think so but you can highlight areas we can improve on. Shelton Martis looked uncomfortable on the ball throughout. Mulumbu often dallied on the ball and gave it away in dangerous areas. Dorrans went missing for the first 30 minutes of the second half. Brunt again looked lost on the right. And as for Bednar, Luke Moore receives dogs of abuse but works ten times harder and brings other players into the game. Why can’t other Albion fans see this?
Overall I’m pleased to be in the hat for the next round and even the hour-long traffic jam on the M6 couldn’t put a dampener on spirits on the way back down to the Midlands. Well done lads...