By Stuart Kidson
October 19 2003

Norwich City made the long boring journey from Norfolk along the A14 but Albion had a point to prove following Tuesday's disaster against Sheffield United. West Bromwich Albion (1) v Norwich City (0)
The Hawthorns, Saturday 18th October 2003

West Brom entertained Norwich City at the Hawthorns this weekend as they tried to get back on winning ways following their disappointing performance against Sheffield United on Tuesday night.

Gary Megson threw new signing Paul Robinson into the fray for his home debut at the expense of Neil Clement and Ronnie Wallwork got his first start of the season in midfield as Sean Gregan moved into the back three in place of Sekou Berthe. Norwich were without their loan striker Darren Huckerby through injury and former Portsmouth and Villa player Peter Crouch was on the bench.

Albion started well and it was Jason Koumas who made the initial foray into the visitors half when he picked up and pressed past two Canaries defenders. His shot was blocked by Damien Francis and deflected out for a corner.

Wallwork was next to try his luck when he sent a low drive towards the Smethwick End goal but Robert Green, in goal for the visitors, comfortably held the shot. Robinson then endeared himself to the East Stand Baggies when he made a full bloodied challenge on Craig Fleming which saw the Norwich player require treatment for a boot in the stomach right in front of the East Stand.

Scott Dobie was next to try and open the scoring when he found himself with a little space on the edge of the box but good defending by Norwich denied the Scottish international. Despite bringing all the pressure they could muster onto Norwich, Albion were struggling to find the back of the net and Norwich almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances when Kevin Harper broke from midfield and passed to Mark Rivers. Robinson backed off and the Canaries winger sent over a cross that struck Bernt Haas on the side of the head and went just wide of Russell Hoult's upright.

Dobie should have given the Baggies the lead minutes later but he was unable to direct his diving header towards goal after Koumas had again opened up a route for himself down the left, beating two defenders.

Norwich were handed their first corner after 27 minutes but found themselves back peddling as Koumas raced away with the ball down the left before coming inside and firing off another shot at goal. Green had no problem dealing with the shot again.

Dobie then sent Rob Hulse racing towards goal when he flicked a long ball past the Norwich defence but Norwich stalwart Malky Mackay was having none of it and produced a fine and well timed block to deny the former Crewe front man.

Albion finally cracked the Norwich defence, which had looked solid up until now, when he again cut inside from the left and curled a wonderful right footed shot beyond the reach of Green. The goal sent the Hawthorns Boing Boing barmy.

The game was not all one way, however, as Harper produced some nice football and his running was second to none causing some concern amongst the Baggies defence. It was Harper who earned Norwich a free kick just outside the box when he was tripped by Haas but the resultant shot by Phil Mulryne was straight at the Baggies wall and finally cleared by Dobie.

Former Dingle, Iwan Roberts, always guaranteed a hostile reception from the home fans, had the ball in the back of the Brummie Road net just before half time but he was adjudged to have been offside and the goal was disallowed. Roberts was then involved in the action at the other end as Norwich were forced to defend a corner. The kick came over and was headed along the bye-line where Haas chased the loose ball. Roberts, chasing, appeared to trip the Swiss international well inside the area and earned himself a yellow card. Referee Mr. G. Salisbury, then awarded a free kick OUTSIDE of the which left many fans bewildered but not surprised especially as during the first half he awarded a goal kick for a cross which had hit the corner flag in the Halfords / Smethwick End corner and gone out for a throw.

The second half saw the Albion again start strong but Norwich had made a vital change during the break and bought on Paul McVeigh for Rivers. Albion could have extended their lead when Dobie turned his marker and clipped in a cross for strike partner Hulse. Hulse was unable to control the ball and then rather rashly pulled on Mackay's shirt.

McVeigh was beginning to cause problems for the Baggies with his darting runs down the left, but Robinson impressed his new fans with another hard challenge on the Norwich winger after McVeigh had caught Koumas on the ball and dispossessed him. It was McVeigh again who probed and poked at the Baggies defence when he sent a low cross over but Thomas Gaardsoe was able to clear.

Dobie was sent on his way from a wonderfully weighted pass from Wallwork, but the ball was steered safely away by Fleming for Norwich as they began to ask questions about the staying power of the Albion. Koumas again lead the Baggies attack and again he looked most likely to produce the spark needed by the Albion to seal the game, but he was as frustrated as the 22.000 home fans when his cross from the right was wasted by the Albion with no front players on the end of it.

Dobie again squandered another chance to put the game beyond reach when he was released by Hulse to run into the area. Dobie decided to cut the ball back instead of shoot. The ball was laid back to Robinson who unleashed a hard drive from outside the area but the ball was rising all the time and sailed well over the Norwich goal.

Norwich could have drawn the game level minutes later when Hoult was caught clearing the ball from a back pass. His kick was blocked by Norwich skipper Adam Drury and shot into the air and over Hoult. The ball bounced in front of goal but the former Portsmouth shot stopper calmly collected it up.

Albion were now struggling to get the ball past the halfway line as Norwich began to apply a steady pressure. Peter Crouch had been sent on to the shouts of 'Freak' from the home fans and with McVeigh rampaging down the left Norwich were now the team asking all the questions. The Baggies defence had been strong throughout the game, especially Phil Gilchrist, but now they looked nervous and it was as much as Sean Gregan could do to just punt long balls upfield for the Baggies duo of Hughes, who had replaced Hulse, and Dobie to latch onto.

Hoult kept the visitors at bay to the relief of the home fans when he produced a top drawer save at the near post to deny Fleming. Norwich were really looking for the equaliser and it was McVeigh again who caused problems late in the game when he flashed a shot just wide. Harper then took a chance but some superb defending by Gilchrist cleared the danger after Crouch had knocked the ball down to create a chance for Norwich.

Norwich's final corner of the game saw Green run the length of the pitch to try his luck from the set piece. The keeper was closely marked by Hughes and the Baggies hit man could have conceded a late penalty as he wrestled with the keeper as the ball came over. The Baggies broke, urged on by the home fans and it was James O'Connor who rushed his shot at the open goal but the speculative effort was never likely to find its target.

Albion were lucky in the second half to get away with so many mistakes. Loose balls were not picked up, passing was sometimes dreadful and against a disciplined Norwich side the long ball tactic was never going to produce results.

Man of the Match, selected by Harry Rutter, 14, of Oldbury went to Phil Gilchrist

Teams

BAGGIES: Hoult, Gregan, Gaardsoe, Gilchrist, Haas, O'Connor, Wallwork, Koumas, Robinson, Hulse, Dobie

Subs: Hughes, Sakiri, Volmer, Clement, Murphy

NORWICH: Green, Mackay, Fleming, Edworthy, Harper, Mulryne, Holt, Francis, Drury, Roberts, Rivers

Subs: Easton, McVeigh, Shackell, Crouch, Lewis