By Stuart Kidson
March 7 2004

OUT MUSCLED BY THE HORSE BUT NOT OUT PLAYED OVERALL. THE SCORELINE FLATTERS THE BAGGIES AS COVENTRY WERE UNDESERVING OF THE OUTCOME. West Bromwich Albion (3) v Coventry City (0)
Saturday 6th March 2004, The Hawthorns
Nationwide League Division One

The Albion drew themselves level at the top of the table with a solid 3 - 0 win over The Sky Blues to avenge the 1 - 0 defeat at Highfield Road earlier in the season when Johnny Jackson found the back of the net in the dying minutes of the game. Coventry were looking to set a new club record today by wracking up their 5th successive away win, but strikes from Geoff Horsfield, Rob Hulse and Mark Kinsella meant the home side came away as victors.

Gary Megson made two changes to the side that had battled out a 0 - 0 draw at Carrow Road on Tuesday night, with Delroy Facey and Bernt Haas being replaced with Hulse and the fit again Darren Moore. Hulse was starting his first senior game since getting himself sent off for violent conduct against Burnley on the 17th January.

Despite starting the game with confidence it was Coventry who had the first real chance on goal when Russell Hoult had to react quickly to prevent Gary McSheffrey latching onto a wonderful through ball from Bjarni Gudjonsson, but Coventry were soon on the defensive as the Baggies pushed back and had The Sky Blues on the back foot.

Hulse should have made more of his effort in the 12th minute when he timed his run to beat the offside trap after Kinsella had sent through a wonderfully weighted pass. The former Crewe hit man fired straight at the oncoming Scott Shearer, who did brilliantly to save with his knee.

The Baggies went close again in the 18th minute when Thomas Gaardsoe rose highest to head a Jason Koumas corner towards goal. Horsfield, ever aware, swung his foot hoping to connect but Shearer was on hand to gather the ball safely for the Sky Blues.

Horsfield enjoys a tussle, and he needed to be strong in his battle with former Liverpool and Villa defender Steve Staunton all afternoon, but the striker proved to be too strong for Staunton as he hustled his way into the box to smash Andy Johnson's pass into the back of the net from a very tight angle.

Albion seemed to take their foot off the pedal after the goal and The Sky Blues began to apply more and more pressure on the home side. With plenty of high balls being played into the box, the Baggies were struggling to clear their lines. Stephen Warnock got on the end of a Peter Clarke cross but failed to hit the target.

Gaardsoe caused a moment of panic in the Baggies goalmouth when his attempted clearance header did not get any distance and the ball fell to Martin Grainger, on loan to Coventry from Birmingham City. Gaardsoe had to throw himself at the ball to deflect the shot out for a corner, but Hoult let his feelings become very clear as he tussled with his own player for his initial mistake.

The second half started pretty much as it had ended with Coventry dictating the pace, but Horsfield was again to strong for his marker and in the 52nd minute he turned his marker and fired a shot towards goal from a throw in. Shearer did well to parry the shot but could not hold the ball which fell just right for Hulse to smash into the back of the Brummie Road net to double the lead.

Despite the score line Coventry came back once more and caused concern amongst the home support. Gary Megson decided to make changes to the side and replaced Koumas with Lloyd Dyer in an attempt to open up a route down the left-hand side of the park. The former trainee soon had the Coventry defence on the back foot and he was unlucky not to register his first senior goal for the Baggies when he shot wide after a typical run at the defence. His shot looked to be heading towards goal but instead flashed across the face of the goal and went out for a goal kick.

Coventry then had a very strong case for a penalty after Paul Robinson had tangled with McSheffrey inside the box, but Referee Mr. Mike Pike waved away appeals. McSheffrey then caused further concern when he tried a left footed volley following Grainger's cross but the final effort was wasted to the relief of Hoult. City substitute Dele Adebola then forced Darren Moore into making a brave clearance when it looked odds on the big striker was going to score.

The game was wrapped up 12 minutes from time when a mistake by Craig Pead set up Kinsella for his first goal for the Baggies. Albion substitute Delroy Facey whipped in a cross from the right and Pead tried to play the ball back across the face of his goal, but instead passed straight to the unmarked Kinsella who tapped in for perhaps the simplest goal of his career.

The scoreline flattered the Baggies but so it ended 3-0 to the home side who are now level with Norwich on 64 points.

The baggiesworld.co.uk Man of the Match went to Thomas Gaardsoe

Teams
Baggies Hoult, Gaardsoe, Moore, Gregan, J. Chambers, Koumas, Kinsella, Johnson, Robinson, Hulse, Horsfield
Subs Murphy, Clement, Skoubo, Facey, Dyer

Sky Blues Shearer, Clarke, Staunton, Davenport, Grainger, Gudjonsson, Delomeaux, Doyle, Warnock, Joachim, McSheffrey
Subs Ward, Konjic, Shaw, Adebola, Pead