Long and painful lesson as West Brom suffer defeat - match analysis

Pepe Mel looked pained as he left the KC Stadium.

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Maybe the Albion boss was angry with Shane Long and Chris Foy. Or perhaps he was concerned about his team.

Because there were two stories to emerge from Albion's trip to Humberside, and Mel cannot allow the fury sparked by one to cloud the grim reality of the other.

It was probably inevitable that one tale would centre on Long, although no Baggies fans could have foreseen the manner of their former striker's impact on proceedings as he went from hero to zero in a little over half an hour.

Yet it was equally sad that the other should concern Albion's worryingly limp response to the adversity that Long's unedifying penalty-area tumble created. The Irishman's theatrical fall and Chris Foy's shocking error meant defeat to the Tigers came laced with a huge dose of injustice.

But Mel will know only too well that his team's reaction when the chips were down was a troubling sight that shone further light on a team lacking conviction, confidence and, in some cases at least, heart.

Long's actions left a bitter taste in the mouths of the 2,342 travelling Baggies fans who had afforded their former striker a rousing pre-match ovation ahead of his first reunion with his ex-employers since they sold him controversially in January and left their forward line painfully short of experience and quality.

While the Ireland international did not appeal for a penalty when he hit the floor under pressure from centre-back Craig Dawson, his tumble was exaggerated at best and brought boos of derision from Albion supporters who just 31 minutes earlier had been thanking him for his contribution to their club's recent successes.

Long is a likeable man and the supportive post-match thoughts of Ben Foster suggest he remains a close friend to many of his former team-mates. That will not, however, make his sharp practice in the penalty area any easier to take for Baggies fans who desperately wanted to think better of him.

And his fall, allied to Foy's willingness to point to the spot, brought to an end what had been an encouraging start to the game for a Baggies side boosted in confidence by victory at Swansea seven days earlier. The bright opening had seen Stephane Sessegnon bend a long-range shot just past the angle of post and bar and Graham Dorrans denied by a smart save from Scotland international team-mate Allan McGregor in the Tigers' goal.

And, while it was all a little off the cuff, the clever link-ups between Sessegnon, a recalled Thievy Bifouma, Victor Anichebe and Dorrans offered some hope that last weekend's victory had restored a little of the attacking confidence for which Albion teams of recent seasons had become known. Yet from the moment Long went down, Foy pointed to the spot and Liam Rosenior headed home the rebound after Foster's fine save from Nikica Jelavic's penalty, the belief drained visibly from a Baggies side whose efforts became startlingly anaemic.

Long insisted afterwards he had not dived and had sprung back to his feet without appealing for a foul.

But whatever he felt immediately after the incident, it is tough to view his actions as anything other than an instinctive tumble intended to test the strength of Foy, who was all too willing to oblige the home crowd. The striker took just six minutes to rub salt into open Albion wounds as, shortly after Foster had made a superb save from Tom Huddlestone's long-range drive, Long made it 2-0 and killed off his former club.

The defending was dreadful as the ball dropped kindly in a messy scramble, the finish was impressive as Long stroked a shot coolly past Foster, and the non-celebration from the Irishman was a show of respect for Albion that came much too late for supporters. It was the moment that killed off any realistic hopes Mel had of following up his maiden victory a week ago with another success.

The resentment from some Baggies players was clear as Youssouf Mulumbu chipped away at Long with some niggling challenges that almost led to a physical confrontation before team-mates stepped in and resulted in an animated discussion between the pair as the teams headed off the field for half-time.

The pair parted on good terms but the damage had been done and, worryingly for Mel and Co, the visitors never threatened seriously to repair it.

They built up a head of steam for a 10-minute spell in the second half but there was no all-out assault, no clear sign of purpose and no obvious evidence of fight, especially from a front three who went AWOL when they were needed most.

For his part, Mel was a man whose team was depleted chronically by injuries and suspensions, whose substitutes' bench was devoid of game-changing options and whose side once more looked worn-down by a season of bitter struggle and backstage recriminations.

Yet still he looked like a figure unable to exert any significant influence on what was unfolding before him.

He could point to another moment of tough luck when James Morrison went down in the Hull box under Jake Livermore's challenge and was given nothing.

A penalty might have been soft, yet it was a nailed-on spot-kick in comparison to the on Long was awarded.

Long almost added insult to injury with a fantastic 30-yard effort that beat Foster and rattled the woodwork.

Albion's best second half chance fell to Victor Anichebe, whose far-post header from a Dorrans corner was saved by McGregor. And for Mel, things got worse as Anichebe and Gareth McAuley limped off to add to his woes.

No wonder his brow looked furrowed and his face drawn as he boarded the team coach. He was entitled to feel cheated. But he had bigger things to worry about.