Analysis of Coventry 1 Albion 1

A half-time blast from boss Roberto Di Matteo sparked Albion to life in their penultimate pre-season friendly.

And a rejuvenated second-half display, inspired by explosive substitute Ishmael Miller, saved the Baggies from a second successive pre-season defeat.

Di Matteo's men were second best throughout the first half and trailed at half-time through a defensive lapse and Gary McSheffrey's goal for the Sky Blues.

But the introduction of Miller and full-back Gianni Zuiverloon added a spark to the visitors and the duo combined to draw them level.

"I wasn't particularly happy with the first half but I was very pleased with the second half," said Di Matteo.

"We need to understand that, to be able to play our football, first and foremost we need to compete.

"We did that in the second half. Once we started to win tackles and second balls, our quality started to come through and we created plenty of chances."

Miller was the day's biggest winner in the Baggies camp as his impressive contribution came on a day to forget for fellow forward Roman Bednar.

If the club's search for attacking reinforcements fails to bear fruit by the big kick-off on August 14, Miller's three pre-season goals appear to have edged him ahead in the race to start.

Elsewhere, Marek Cech made a welcome and solid return at left-back after his extended post-World Cup break while Zuiverloon impressed at right-back, although the Dutchman remains unlikely to force his way immediately back into favour after a poor end to last season.

Albion controlled the opening moments but there was a scare on four minutes when Jonas Olsson was caught in possession and new Sky Blues captain Lee Carsley sent a 20-yard shot just over.

The home side were on the attack again on 12 minutes when substitute David Bell, just moments after replacing Aron Gunnarsson, skipped down the right and crossed for Lukas Jutkiewicz to head straight at goalkeeper Scott Carson.

Bednar should have put Albion ahead when he charged onto a chipped cross by Jerome Thomas but planted his header over the bar.

But it was Coventry who led on 15 minutes as Albion's defence were caught square and former Birmingham striker McSheffrey, back at his hometown club, scored.

He seized onto a flick-on by ex-Wolves forward Freddy Eastwood before racing clear and sliding a low shot past the advancing Carson.

There was another alarm for the Baggies when Jutkiewicz tried his luck from distance, causing Carson to back-pedal and claim a catch.

Albion's defence was at sixes and sevens when Graham Dorrans lost the ball in midfield and the Sky Blues broke down the left.

McSheffrey crossed to the far post, where Jutkiewicz was unmarked five yards out, but he somehow side-footed wide.

Bednar was screaming for a penalty when he appeared to be dragged to the ground at a set-piece by James McPake but the appeal was waved away and the Baggies striker's anger was compounded when he was booked for an alleged shove.

In the closing moments of the half Thomas dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box and Chris Brunt tried one from even further out that flew even further off target.

The second half began in subdued fashion but it was the Baggies who had the first shot on target, Brunt forcing Kieren Westwood into a straightforward save from a 20-yard free-kick after substitute Miller was dragged down.

They put more pressure on their hosts when Brunt found space and his cross was glanced goalwards by Bednar, forcing a diving Westwood to claw it away.

There was another chance for Bednar when he pounced on a series of ricochets to hit a shot on the turn but this time Westwood's save was more comfortable.

The big Czech should have drawn his side level on 71 minutes when Zuiverloon skipped down the right and crossed to the far post, where an unmarked Bednar headed wastefully wide.

The Baggies were on terms three minutes later when Brunt drifted wide and teed up Zuiverloon, whose cross was headed home by Miller in the middle.

By Steve Madeley