Albion Scoreboard 2003-04 [R]

[DevilDave]

Originally posted by jw
5-1-2, 16pts...okay, 24 hours away from yesterday, I'll take it, but last second blunders are a bad habit to get into, and can breed instability at all levels.

Giving up the late goal was an occasional problem for Albion during the promotion season, and hopefully the Palace match will be the only time we'll face this indignity.

Here's to a good showing against H'pool Tuesday. Albion's experience in both cups last year should indicate there are no real "minnows" in the Football League.

[DevilDave]

Hartlepool United 1 West Bromwich Albion 2

Rob Hulse converted an inswinger from Scott Dobie into the late winner for Albion as WBA advanced to the third round of the Carling Cup.

Albion trailed Second Division H'pool at half time after Paul Robinson's successful penalty in first half stoppage time. But Neil Clement equalised in the 62nd minute with his first goal of the season, one of Clem's signature free kicks from 20 yards out.

[DevilDave]

West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 0

Albion gained all three points in a League match against Gary Megson's former club for the first time in 18 games against the Potters. Scott Dobie's winner in the 59th minute was his first League goal.

The match was marred early on when Andy Johnson and the Potters' John Eustace were both sent off in the fourth minute. They got into a scrap off a Jason Koumas corner. Megson said afterward Albion plan to appeal the booking.

Stoke's Marcus Hall was sent off in the second half for a tackle from behind on Dobie.

[DevilDave]

West Bromwich Albion 2 Millwall 1

Jason Koumas and Super Scott Dobie each got two first-half goals as Albion continued their unbeaten run at the Hawthorns this season. Millwall captain Stuart Nethercott made the second half a tense affair after his goal at the stroke of half time, but the Lions were unable to get the equaliser.

The win fired WBA into second place in the First Division, just one point behind leaders Sheffield United.

[John Boy]

Just hoping that Koumas' injury isn't too serious. His goal was fantastic.

[DevilDave]

Reports I've seen in the West Mids. papers indicate that Jason shouldn't be out too long (with a pulled hamstring he's in pain, but it's not too serious). It's certain he will miss Saturday against Gillingham.

[The_Baggies]

Just wondering are you an ex-pat or not and if not why you picked the Baggies to support?.

[DevilDave]

Originally posted by The_Baggies
Just wondering are you an ex-pat or not and if not why you picked the Baggies to support?.

No I'm not an ex-pat... And as a mattor of fact, I've only supported the Baggies since 1999-2000 around the time Brian Little was sacked and Megson took over.

So why West Bromwich Albion? I credit two things: a sense of social justice and regular reading of FourFourTwo. Here's the long version...

I should well have been a ManYoo fan for life, especially on the heels of the Treble. But a couple minor articles in FourFour Two caught my attention:

1) In "The Boy's A Bit Special" section I read how a First Division club had pulled off a major coup by signing an Italian lad who was the product of the Juventus youth system. Of course, that club is WBA and the player I'm referring to Enzo Maresca, who of course has since returned to Juve but still remembers fondly his time at the Albion.

2) There were selected reprints of a 1960's GOAL magazine in another FourFourTwo, and one of the pieces featured the picture of a lovely young woman whose husband had just won the FA Cup. That woman was Larraine Astle wife of the (now late) Jeff Astle. Brief interview, all fluff.

3) But the piece really sealed the deal that was FourFourTwo's series on black footballers, and the racism they've faced over the years. The second article was one on WBA's Three Degrees. The article was excerpted in part from Dave Bowler's excellent book, "Samba in the Smethwick End" which I later bought and read cover-to-cover.

Those articles, coupled with the rise of the Internet have helped me to learn about Albion history. By coincidence, I am a New Jerseyan who grew up near the town of Hawthorne. :D

[John Boy]

Interesting. I had wondered. I also remember all of those articles as I used to buy them back then.

[DevilDave]

Gillingham 0 West Bromwich Albion 2

Scott Dobie's finish on a Gilchrist through-ball in the 26th minute and another well-struck free kick from Neil Clement two minutes later were enough to fire the Baggies back to the top of the First Division at Priestfield. The usual brilliant Albion defensive effort gave Gills few chances on Hoult's goal.

Albion overtook Sheffield United by two points after the Blades lost at home to Sunderland this afternoon.

[DevilDave]

West Bromwich Albion 0 Sheffield United 2

Goals by the Blades' Michael Tonge and Ashley Ward this evening at The Hawthorns were enough to vault Blades back to the top of Division One.

In the first match against Warnock's men since the infamous "Battle of Bramall Lane" the Baggies could muster only a few serious attempts on goal. A inexperienced back line featuring new Albion signing Sekou Berthe at centre-back was relatively ineffective in the first half.

Albion fall back to third in the division. :(

[DevilDave]

West Bromwich Albion 1 Norwich City 0


A Jason Koumas goal in the 35th minute and another stellar Albion defensive effort gave the Baggies three points this afternoon. WBA controlled play in the first half, giving Norwich few chances. The Canaries' pressure in the second half was unable to produce the equaliser.

Albion move back to second in the table after Wigan beat Gillingham to go top and Sheffield United lost to Millwall at the New Den.

[DevilDave]

West Bromwich Albion 0 The Milton Keynes Football Franchise* 1

An effort so abysmal, a loss so disappointing for many reasons it's barely worth commenting on. :mad:

Baggies dominating possession, a lackluster Milton Keynes side sitting at the bottom of the table. But Albion couldn't turn any chances to gold, and a Jobi McAnuff goal with 10 minutes to go in the second half gave Milton Keynes the threee points this evening at The Hawthorns. :mad:





*(formerly known as Wimbledon Football Club)

[DevilDave]

Rotherham 0 West Bromwich Albion 3

A unfortunate own goal by Millers' Shaun Barker and a brace from Albion's Rob Hulse fired the Baggies back to the top of the First Division table this afternoon at Millmoor.

[John Boy]

Much improved performance against Rotherham. Hulse looked back to his early season self, and defensively it was back to business.

I'm also here to pimp my little Albion site.

http://www.btinternet.com/~johnnythrostle

[DevilDave]

Originally posted by John Boy
I'm also here to pimp my little Albion site.

http://www.btinternet.com/~johnnythrostle

You've got a nice site, with some good pics from the stands.

Uh, no link to BigSoccer, I see. I can certainly understand... I'm the only one bothering to post on the board. :(

[John Boy]

I lost a bunch of links when I overwrote (is that a word) the links file. I'll get round to typing them out soon.

:(

[DevilDave]

Newcastle United 1 West Bromwich Albion 2, Carling Cup Third Round :D

If not for an unfortunate own goal by Shola Amoebi, the Magpies might have gone on to the Fourth Round draw after Laurent Robert's 65th minute goal.

Instead, Albion's Lee Hughes sent the traveling Baggies supporters at St. James Park into raptures after his goal 10 minutes into the first period of extra time. The Baggies withstood tremendous pressure, but the Tynesiders could not find an equaliser.

WBA have drawn Manchester United at home for the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

[John Boy]

Great result, it sounded as if the Toon was really going for it which makes it all the more better.

[DevilDave]

West Bromwich Albion 0 Sunderland 0

Albion just managed to salvage a goalless draw against the Black Cats a few days after dumping the Mackems' North-East rivals from the Carling Cup.

The Baggies' legs were certainly tired after Newcastle match. Sunderland dominated possession for much of the match, but dogged Albion defending and a couple of crucial saves from Hoult and a lucky goalpost kept the Wearsiders off the score sheet.

With just a point, Albion drop back to second in the First Division. Wigan's 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace sees the Latics go back top.