West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Bolton Wanderers

Albion
By Stuart Kidson
February 9 2003

They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. Well for the thousands of Baggies fans inside the Hawthorns this afternoon they served it in style.

West Bromwich Albion v Bolton Wanderers
Saturday 8th February 2003

They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. Well for the thousands of
Baggies fans inside the Hawthorns this afternoon they served it in style.
Gary Megson's Stars in Stripes repaid the heartache felt by the Barmy Army
on the 9th November when a last minute equaliser at the Reebok Stadium had
robbed the Baggies of 3 points. Andy Johnson grabbed a very deserved goal
for the home side that keeps them well and truly in the pack in the race for
Premiership survival.

Albion fielded a few changes from previous weeks, with the most notable
being Andy Johnson on the bench following his return from suspension and
Ifeyani Udeze also returning to the dugout. Bolton included Salva Ballesta
who had been on trial with the Baggies a few weeks ago.

Despite a bright start by the home side the chances refused to present
themselves and it was Bolton that eventually began to press their build up
play home with greater effect. Gary Megson had asked the Hawthorns crowd to
provide a Wall of Noise in the local press this week and as usual the massed
ranks of the Baggies faithful were happy to oblige. The players on both
sides were well aware of the importance of this fixture and tackles were
both hard and fair from the start.

It was Bolton who settled quickest and they gradually pushed the Baggies
back into their own half. Jay Jay Okocha found Henrik Pedersen with a
stunning cross field ball on 15 minutes and the Dane beat Sean Gregan and
was set to shoot when Darren Moore cleared the Albion lines. Again Bolton
pressed forward and Per Frandsen went close following a short free kick from
Djorkaeff but his effort flew wide of the upright at the Brummie Road End.

Bolton took the lead in the 19th minute when Jason Koumas was caught on the
ball by Bernard Mendy on the edge of the Bolton area. Mendy set off on a
blistering run straight down the middle of the pitch, reaching the Albion
area unchallenged. His pass set up Djorkaeff for the shot who could have
done better with the shot. Russell Hoult, at full stretch, let the ball
slip from his clutches and into the path of Henrik Pedersen, who tapped in
for his 5th the season.

The Baggies still had not tested the Bolton keeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, at
the halfway point of the first half until Jason Koumas picked out Adam
Chambers from distance. Chambers sent over the perfectly weighted cross
which Jason Roberts headed towards goal. The Bolton keeper made his first
real save of the game. Danny Dichio was next to attempt to find a way past
Jaaskelainen when he attempted an acrobatic scissor kick which curled just
wide of the post.

Albion had yet another penalty turned down by referee Mr. David Elleray
following a heavy challenge on Danny Dichio as he tried to get on the end of
a Derek McInnes cross. Bolton again broke and it was again Djorkaeff who
threatened when he tried a chip shot from just inside the Baggies area.
Luckily for the Baggies the shot went wide.

Albion were awarded a free kick in the 32nd minute and Neil Clement stepped
up to see his shot go a fraction of an inch wide of the upright from 20-odd
yards. Again Bolton were not going to lie down and let the Baggies get that
elusive equaliser and former Real Madrid defender Ivan Campo, found himself
unmarked following a Bolton corner. His header from 8-yards fell straight
into the waiting arms of Russell Hoult.

Campo was again at the centre of things seconds later when he bought down
Jason Robertson the edge of the Bolton area, but the resulting free kick was
wasted by the Baggies. Again the Trotters pressed forward and again
Djorkaeff was in the thick of the action. His turn and shot bought another
fine save from Houlty. Adam Chambers found his name in the book for a
challenge on Pedersen.

The Hawthorns erupted into fury when Danny Dichio chased down a back pass to
Jaaskelainen, which the keeper kicked straight at the Albion forward. Deech
delayed his shot and was wrestled to the ground by the keeper outside his
area. A very quick free kick by McInnes to Wallwork followed but his shot
was blocked by a back tracking Campo, and the Spaniard cleared three yards
off the line. Elleray allowed play to continue before cautioning
Jaaskelainen with a yellow card. The home fans were incensed as they
thought it was a definite red card offence and Mr Elleray was left in no
doubt as to the thoughts of the home fans.

In the second half it was Bolton who were first to shoot at goal but a
30-yard Pedersen shot was dealt with comfortably by Houlty. Slowly but
surely Albion began to claw their way back into the game. Ronnie Wallwork
and Jason Koumas provided a much more clinical service to the two Baggies
forwards and this nearly paid dividends when in the 50th minute the out of
form Jason Roberts found himself with time and space on the edge of the six
yard box. A delicate Dichio cross fell perfectly for Robbo, but the
unfortunate striker could only steer a weak shot straight at Jaaskelainen.

Albion now had a real purpose about them and pinned the Trotters firmly in
their own half for long periods without luck. Wave after wave of Albion
attack broke down against the solid wall of defence and when Jason Roberts
did manage to run at the defence he was thwarted by big Ivan Campo, whose
perfectly timed challenge bought a brief respite.

Sean Gregan found himself with space outside the area and unleashed a
thunderbolt which had Jaaskelainen beat only to see the ball hit the inside
of the post and ricochet across the goalmouth and out for a goal kick.
Jason Koumas then tried to find the net with a right foot shot from 20-yards
but again it was wide of the mark.

Danny Dichio also came close after a Jason Koumas free kick fell straight at
his feet, but all the Londoner could do was direct the ball straight at the
Bolton keeper. Gary Megson decided to replace both Jason Roberts and Derek
McInnes in the hope that fresh legs would bring desired effects. Andy
Johnson and Lee Hughes joined the fray and both were straight at the
beleaguered Bolton defence.

Andy Johnson saw his first contribution shave the paint off the outside of
the post from outside the area following some wonderful build up play by the
Albion and Lee Hughes almost squeezed the equaliser when he was allowed to
get round the back of the defence. His goal bound chip almost cleared the
Bolton keeper, but somehow he managed to palm the ball upwards.

Albion, under the leadership of the tireless Gregan, pressed forward more
and more, throwing caution to the wind almost in the search for the
equaliser almost came unstuck when Ricardo Gardener broke for Bolton.
Russell Hoult stayed calm and denied the winner for the visitors.

The equaliser came in the second minute of stoppage time when a Jason Koumas
free kick had been helped in to the box by Darren Moore. Andy Johnson
pounced on the loose ball and placed the ball under the diving keeper into
the Brummie Road net.

The Hawthorns erupted.

All in all it was another battling performance by the Baggies and one that
will no doubt help in the fight for survival, building both confidence in
the team for players and fans alike. It was also a courageous display by
one member of the Baggies side in particular, Ronnie Wallwork.
Unfortunately Ronnie lost his mother earlier in the week and our condolences
go out to him and his family.

Man of the Match selected by Curtis McNally, aged 13, from Oldbury - Sean
Gregan

Team: Russell Hoult, Sean Gregan (Capt.), Darren Moore, Phil Gilchrist (71),
Adam Chambers, Derek McInnes (77), Ronnie Wallwork, Jason Koumas, Neil
Clement, Danny Dichio, Jason Roberts (77)