2008/09 Friendly Round-Up
Last updated : 10 August 2008 By Wba-mad Editor
Borussia Moenchengladbach 2 West Bromwich Albion 1
Albion kicked off their pre-season campaign and trip to Holland with a defeat against newly promoted Moenchengladbach. Graham Dorrans made his Albion debut as a second-half substitute with Sherjill MacDonald levelling the scores in the 64th minute. However Borussia sub Moses Lamidi won the game nine minutes later. Robert Koren also limped off with a knee ligament injury.
FC Koln 4 West Bromwich Albion 1
The Baggies suffered a heavy and embarrassing defeat to finish off their two-game trip to Holland against German opposition. Albion were four goals behind inside just 38-minutes as the visiting defence conceded inside the first minute. A Roman Bednar own-goal confirmed a miserable day for the Baggies with Craig Beattie scoring a consolation 14-minutes from time.
Shrewsbury 2 West Bromwich Albion 2
A Grant Holt double put League Two Shrewsbury two goals ahead before stunning strikes from Do-Heon Kim and James Morrison earned the visitors a draw on their first pre-season game on English soil. A host of youthful Baggies players brought Albion back to life in the 70th minute with Korean international Do-Heon and Scottish international Morrison receiving applause from all four corners of the ground with strikes worthy of winning any game.
Cheltenham 1 West Bromwich Albion 1
Albion still searched for their first pre-season victory after being held to a draw at Whaddon Road. New signing Marek Cech opened his first start in Albion colours with a goal in the 20th minute capping-off an impressive performance. Scott Carson also made his debut before being subbed at half-time with Albion holding the advantage at the break. However, David Bird's free-kick in the 79th minute levelled the scores after Albion wasted a host of chances.
Ipswich 2 West Bromwich Albion 1
The winless streak continued at fortress Portman Road with Albion on the receiving hand of two questionable decisions. Adopting a 4-5-1 formation for the first time in pre-season, Ishmael Miller played a starring role smashing home an unstoppable drive in the 40th minute. Ipswich were level just three minutes later after Jonathan Greening was adjudged to have handled in the area with Tommy Miller equalising from the spot. There was further controversy in the final minute with referee Mike Thorpe failing to spot a foul on Carl Hoefkens allowing Kevin Lisbie to score the winner in the last minute.
Northampton 0 West Bromwich Albion 1
Do-Heon Kim gave Albion their first pre-season victory with a stunning free-kick at Sixfields. Do-Heon's eye-catching man-of-the-match performance received praise afterwards from Mark Venus with the Korean midfielder taking advantage of the void in midfield left by the injured Robert Koren. Scott Carson and Dean Kiely each shared a half in goal with Carl Hoefkens and Pele starting in the centre of defence.
Hereford 1 West Bromwich Albion 2
A young Albion XI made it two victories in a week with a Craig Beattie second-half brace cancelling out Gerry Ani's 51st minute header. Peter Grant took charge of the Baggies with Danek, Hodgkiss, Baker, Worrall, Labadie, Dorrans and Elford-Alliyu all starting. Under-15 Academy player, Adil Nabi, also came on as a late second-half substitute to help secure the win.
Swansea 0 West Bromwich Albion 0
Kristian O'Leary's testimonial ended in stalemate with the Championship and League One champions failing to find the back of the net. Guillem Bauza came the closet to scoring for the home side with Scott Carson making a fine save. Paul Robinson should have secured the win for the Baggies in the 68th minute when the left-back put a free header from a Chris Brunt corner wide. Injuries to Luke Moore, Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller saw Sherjill MacDonald play the lone striker.
Walsall 2 West Bromwich Albion 0
A full-strength Walsall outfit overcame a reserve Albion XI as Tony Mowbray saved his first-team for the final pre-season fixture against Real Mallorca. Albion found home 'keeper Clayton Ince in fine form with Graham Dorrans denied while Craig Beattie should have done better from a header. Anthony Gerrard opened the scoring from a corner with a free-header after 26 minutes with Troy Deeney confirming the win in the 85th minute.
West Bromwich Albion 1 Real Mallorca 1
Albion's only friendly on home soil ended in a respectable draw with Roman Bednar cancelling out Pierre Webo's crisp finish in the 26th minute. The Baggies again started in a 4-5-1 formation a week before their Premiership curtain-raiser against Arsenal. Czech striker Bednar replaced Do-Heon at half-time as Albion searched for a way back into the game with the former Hearts man capitalising on a mistake from Mallorca 'keeper, Luz, to equalise six minutes into the second-half.
