Albion 3 Sunderland 0 – verdict
Saturday 25th April 2009, 4:58PM BST.
Albion earned themselves a stay of execution as they ended their 12-game winless run at the Hawthorns.
In-form Chris Brunt bagged his fourth goal in three games in the second half and on-loan Juan Carlos Menseguez scored late on.
It sealed a deserved win to keep Sunderland in trouble near the foot of the table.
A third goal of the season from defender Jonas Olsson five minutes before half-time had set the Baggies on their way to a deserved victory – their first since beating Middlesbrough at the Hawthorns back in January.
Tony Mowbray’s men remain huge long shots to save themselves from relegation despite this morale-boosting victory.
The game began with the Hawthorns crowd resigned to a return to the Championship and with a group of supporters in the Smethwick End displaying a homemade banner calling for the removal of chairman Jeremy Peace.
But the Hawthorns faithfull ended the game right behind their team, after the Baggies secured the win that their performance richly deserved.
The home side had the better of the opening exchanges and improved as the first half progressed, with Olsson firing them in front shortly before the interval.
Jonathan Greening’s left wing corner found its way beyond the far post, where Olsson forced home a left footed shot despite tumbling as he made contact.
There was controversy surrounding the goal, with Sunderland fans complaining Greening’s flag-kick was not taken from within the quadrant.
But Albion deserved their half-time lead and they were well on top for most of the second period, doubling their advantage just before the hour mark.
The move was started and finished by Brunt as he claimed his seventh goal of the season to become the Baggies’ outright leading scorer.
He spread play out wide to Marc-Antoine Fortune before continuing his run and forcing home the low cross.
Sunderland had a chance to half their deficit, but striker Djibril Cisse fired over from a couple of yards.
Then Mensequez completed the scoring, firing into the bottom corner after beating Anton Ferdinand.
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Well done Baggies, its a long shot,with the games we have to play.Miracles do happen, but it would be a miracle beyond comprehension if we do it.
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It was such a massive banner I couldn’t see it from the BRE.
Does anyone know if we have the option to buy Menseguez. He looks like a hell of a decent player. Dorrans had a tremendous game and MAF chased everything down. Let’s have more.
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west brom should get simon cox jason scotland and leigh gritths watch coxs goal against walsall on you tube
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IF ONLY,IF ONLY AYE BOING BOING IF ONLY
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Well done lads. Sunderland were poor but oh well a much needed morale boosting win. Menseguez is very decent and Dorrans was brilliant but what does he have to do to play 90min?
Anyway Results go our way and we win our games we’ll stay up. Possible. And Lol with the poster before the match.
We can do it!!!!!
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Super show from the Braggies, now lets make all the doubters eat humble pie, I’m not a braggie but I love what you do. I hope you work the miracle.
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good win
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Well done you Baggie girls and boys. Come on, a few more days like this and we can have fun together next year.
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Im sure both Fortune & Menseguez are both with views 2 permanent deals. Menseguez could be huge next season. It would surely be the great escape of all great escapes, no-one would ever top it! MM mick mcarthy….? No Miracle Mowbray!
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great 2nd half baggies,dorrans and fortune were excellent,dorrans always positive when on the ball and fortune may not score many but he holds the ball up well and brings others in to the game,hope he stays,looking forward to next season which ever league we’re in ,positive signs ahead,theres only one tony mowbury,boing boing
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sunderland were poor beyond belief today. but we are still 7 points better off than the baggies who are still going down…2 wins and a draw from spurs,wigan,liverpool & blackburn to get out the bottom three is a huge ask,,,,and the other teams on 34/35 points will surely pick up a point or two extra…so i think its curtains for west brom….hope its middlesbrough and scumcastle who join you in the championship next season!
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great showing,why couldent we have shown the same desire and commitment months ago,dorrans was superb as was fortune,i thought the ref had a good game too.aye boing boing weeem hanging in there
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Boing Boing Boing Boing Fianlly we get a thoroughly deserved result.. ToMo please play this team against Spurs and i feel we have a realistic chance of staying up Menseguez was immense and so were the rest of the team. Halsey was poor as usual i loved the teletext headline “West Brom beat shoddy Sunderland” HAHA
Nothing is Impossible :D
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Im sure both Menseguez and Fortune are with views 2 permanent deals. Mensequez could be huge for us next season if he stays. And miracles do happen!
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Maybe a little too late.
But you are still in with a chance of survival, we may see you again next season.
Good luck
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Ihave to admit I didnt think we would get the win
we havent enjoyed much joy v Sunderland I did
expect more from their two front men but their boss said we bullied them wow now thats something
new. If only we could have done that in just a few
matches that may have been the difference in the
fight for survival. Ilike many have been calling
for Valery to be ousted and Dorrans kept in our
boss having bought him was trying to justify his
recruit At last Brunt is showing why we spent £3
million on him. Hes one we will wont to keep
the loanees we will have to wait to see what their
agents decide. Next match spurs they will be out
to get revenge. Oh what a super save from our
much maligned scotty. There is improvement but
lets hope Dorrans is fit otherwise its a return
for Valery.
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Now let’s see – 4 teams in a battle to avoid 3 relegation places – Baggies at the bottom looking doomed – I’m getting a happt deja-vu here !
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Great performance by Dorrans, my M.o’M. Brunt has surely quenched all the doubters and maybe, just maybe, we have a defence at last. What cheered me most, apart from the win that is, was the crowd singing for Tony Mowbray which shows the vast majority of Albion supporters recognise what a great job he did last year and could do again. So how about it Jeremy? A REAL vote of confidence in the manager and full backing to get on with the job.
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we sure saw the diffrence between the 2 sets of fans at the w/e,west brom went to QPR to win championship not one ounce of trouble just a great party had by all,wolves go to barnsley championship riot police on pitch,even there own manager said they ruined the party,hope your proud of yourselves,aye boing boing disgrace
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BLUENOSE where art thou,looks like we might be having that local derby after all,youv blew it big time,infact you might even finish 4th,aye boing boing blew it
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TO all the national sports writers,pundits,the doom mongers.The baggies won on saturday and are still in with a chance.the whole side played for each other particularly MAF WHO IN MY OPINION WORKED HIS SOCKS OFF.OLLY not only bossed their center forwards but all so scored. It was a great display and sunderland were not only given afootballing lesson but were totally out played at times they could not cope with our passing and movement if we can keep this head of steam going we will force the others above us into errors…WE WERE ON THE ROPES BUT WE ARE BACK AND PUNCHING OUR WEIGHT.
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17 mack,i presume your a dingle,you will be lucky to get half the points we have,infact i find it difficult to think of anybody you will beat in the prem,all the top 8 in the championship have beat ya,and you,l soon be back on here whinging,aye boing boing mick out
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Well done on the victory lads, been a long time coming and Sunderland are awful! Terry I agree mate, the problem was the Barnsley fans also ran on the pitch and it got bad, I dont agree with going on another clubs pitch it is asking for trouble. The lad Dorrans looks like a good player in the making and next season I think he will make an impact inthe championship. Blues are a discrace, Lee Bowyers thug like aggresion is embarresing along with their attendances! Spurs are looking at their holidays now full of pri-madonnas up there go and get the 3 points and you have momentum, join us in the prem.
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We’ve been crying out for someone to beef up the midfield and Dorrans did that with some superb tackling. Okay Brunt had some wayward shots but at least he was prepared to let fly outside the box which has been absent.
Thought Simpson was poor and Koren off colour; but a decent performance. I thought the ref was spot on too.
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The major difference on Saturday to the vast majority of matches this season was that we didn’t make a stupid mistake and gift them a goal.
Confidence came flooding in from there and we looked quality.
Not a bad performance on the pitch, but I’m glad Simpson was taken off…… he doesn’t deserve the shirt!!
Well done boys!!
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if we can go to spurs and win you just never know,hull and sunderland got some tough games,im keeping the faith anyway,aye boing boing great escape 2
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19 – The thing is, they wonder why no-one likes them!!
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22 TRB
All the top 8 have beaten Wolves. If you’re going to insult us, at least make it factual and don’t just post rubbish.
To the fair-minded, reasonable majority of Baggies fans, good luck for the rest of the season. Next time we play you WILL be in the Premier League. Make it next season.
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28 shamrock,me insult you,what part of my post isent fact,aye boing boing mick out
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