By Stuart Kidson
February 23 2004

THE HYPE WAS ALL ABOUT THE NOW INFAMOUS 'BATTLE OF BRAMALL LANE' AND HOW THE TWO MANAGERS WOULD REACT TOWARDS EACH OTHER. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A WONDERFULLY ENTERTAINING FOOTBALL MATCH THAT COULD HAVE GONE EITHER WAY. Sheffield United (1) v West Bromwich Albion (2)
Bramall Lane, Nationwide First Division,
Saturday 21st February 2004

The centre of attention for this match was always going to be the relationship between Neil Warnock and Gary Megson. Both managers have made it very clear in the past that they share very little in the way of a friendship for each other, but one gets the impression there lies beneath a grudging respect for each other as managers.

Alassane N'Dour was recalled to the starting line up in place of the suspended Paul Robinson as Albion took on a 4-4-2 formation. Joost Volmer and Delroy Facey returned to the bench for this 100th League meeting between the two sides.

Sheffield applied some early pressure on the Baggies in the opening minutes but the first real chance of the game fell for Geoff Horsfield when he headed wide of the mark from about 12 yards after Jason Koumas had picked him out of the crowd. Koumas was again at the centre of the proceedings minutes later when his corner was headed into the arms of Paddy Kenny by Neil Clement.

The Blades were awarded their first corner moments later but Koumas again posed the real threat to the home side as he broke quickly and lobbed the ball over Rob Kozluk before racing past the back tracking defender. As the Wrexham born midfielder reached the edge of Kenny's area he struck a weak left footed shot wide of the post after Blades defender Nick Montgomery had done enough to put Koumas off.

The Baggies certainly had the better of the home side in any aerial battles and Koumas again created problems for the Blades when he swung in a free kick which looked likely to fall for Darren Moore to get on the end of. However, Phil Jagielka had other ideas and the superb Blades defender managed to get a vital touch which took the ball away from Moore and out for another Baggies corner.

Former Baggies striker Paul Peschisolido, noted for his pace, sprung the West Brom offside trap on the 30 minute mark when he ran onto a wonderfully weighted ball from Kozluk. The Canadian international took a touch to steady himself before unleashing a powerful low shot towards the near post which saw Joe Murphy do well to get down to and turn around his post for a corner.

The home side were now matching the Baggies for effort and beginning to press the Baggies back. Following another Michael Tonge corner Thomas Gaardsoe headed clear for the Baggies, but the loose ball fell just right for Kozluk to volley a dipping shot from 20 yards that must have shaved a coat of paint from the upright as it passed.

The first half was now entering its final stages and with just 6 minutes left on the clock, Lee Hughes took full advantage of a slip by Robert Page. The former roofer raced into the box and had Horsfield open on his left, but as with most strikers in the box, Hughes had one thought in his mind. He fired a shot low from 10 yards which Kenny did superbly to get down and hold.

Hughes again could have given the visitors the lead moments later when he was fed by a Horsfield flick on the edge of the box, but as before the former Kidderminster striker was unlucky as his shot went a fraction of an inch wide of the upright.

The banter from the terraces had been aimed at the two managers for most of the half, with Blades fans calling into question Gary Megson's nocturnal activities and Baggies fans, which filled the Gordon Lamb upper and lower tiers, doing the same to Neil Warnock. Both managers took this abuse in good part and Warnock even managed to wave towards the Baggies travelling support to show his appreciation of their attention. However, on the field things had been, as expected, getting quite heated and there was a minor scuffle as the teams went down the tunnel which referee Mr. M. Jones was forced to intervene in.

The second half started with veteran defender Mike Whitlow firing a shot towards the Kop goal which took a deflection off Mark Kinsella and fell into the arms of Murphy. The Blades were now taking more and more control of the pace of the game and for long periods of the opening stages, had the Baggies back defending.

Hughes again bore down on goal, when the Albion were able to break away from the pressure being applied by the home side, and just outside the Blades area he fired off a shot which Kenny was again equal to and gathered with ease. Page found his name in the book, minutes later, after a clumsy challenge on Horsfield but nothing came of the free kick.

Kinsella took advantage of a blunder by Kozluk moments later, and fed a lovely ball through for Hughes. As the Smethwick striker raced into the box, Kenny came off his line to force the forward out wide, making the angle to great for the striker and another chance was wasted.

Albion have been guilty of having a period of ten minutes in most games where they let their passing drop, fail to clear their lines and look as if they have lost direction and Sheffield capitalised on this when a mistake by Clement allowed Montgomery to fire in a dangerous cross across the face of the goal. The Baggies were flapping around trying to clear and the unfortunate Moore was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The ball hit his thigh before flying upwards and in off his chest. The Blades fans went wild for the first time all afternoon.

The goal shook the Baggies and it seemed as if confidence had been dealt a severe blow when minutes later another Blades attack had the defence at odds with itself and the ball appeared to hit Moore on the hand. The referee waved away calls for a penalty and the Baggies survived another scare.

The home side were now firmly in the driving seat and Tonge came close but thanks to Gaardsoe's back the shot was deflected to safety. Gary Megson, who still lives in the Sheffield area, had more than just professional pride at stake in this game, could sense that the match was slipping away from his team. A double substitution saw Joost Volmer and Sean Gregan replace Kinsella and N'Dour, which left many Baggies fans wondering what was going on as it seemed to have been a one for one swap. How wrong they were.

The Baggies reverted to their tried and tested 3-5-2 formation and a further 5 minutes later Delroy Facey was sent on to replace Hughes. Facey almost made a dream start when Koumas sent in a cross which the former Bolton striker almost got onto in front of goal, but a slight deflection took the ball away from him and out for a corner. The flag kick was sent over and Moore rose highest to power a header home past the diving Kenny to give the big central defender the dubious honour of being the first Albion player to have scored for both sides in a match this century, and the first since an Asa Hartford double against Arsenal on 24th April 1971 at Highbury.

The end containing the Baggies 4000 plus fans exploded as did the bench. It was now game on and Horsfield could have secured the win 10 minutes later when he chased a lovely through ball from Gaardsoe. Whitlow slipped and this put Horsfield clear on goal, but he too lost his footing and the danger passed for the home side.

Albion were now out of their spell of indifference and had the bit between their teeth as they could sense snatching something from the game. Gregan forced Kenny into a wonderful save when he hit a 15 yard rocket goalwards. The loose ball fell to Volmer out on the right who sent it straight back into the danger area. Again Sheffield cleared but only as far as Koumas who sent it straight back towards goal with his head. Gaardsoe stepped in to poke the ball across the line and spark wild celebrations in the Gordon Lamb stand and on the Baggies bench.

Koumas could have made it 3-1 minutes later when he blocked Whitlow's attempted clearance and then turned the defender inside out before shooting towards the far post. Kenny produced possibly the save of the game when he threw his right arm out and directed the ball wide of the post for a corner.

The addition of 3 minutes of extra time was the cause of some concern to the travelling support, but the Baggies just ran the time down by taking the ball into the corners and made Sheffield try to play the ball out. Not the purists favourite trick but effective and the referee soon blew for time. The travelling fans were treated to the players and management showing their appreciation of their vocal support throughout the game as they all stood in front of the massed ranks of the Barmy Army and applauded each other.

Albion now move 11 points clear of Sheffield United and 6 clear of third placed Wigan.

The baggiesworld.co.uk Man of the Match went to Darren Moore

Teams
BLADES Kenny, Kozluk, Jagielka, Whitlow, Page, McCall, Montgomery, Ndlovu, Tonge, Ward, Peschisolido
Subs Shaw, Parkinson, Allison, Robinson, Boussatta

BAGGIES Murphy, Haas, Moore, Gaardsoe, N'Dour, Koumas, Kinsella, Johnson, Clement, Hughes, Horsfield
Subs Pressman, Gregan, Volmer, Facey, Dyer