Varteks 2 Albion 2 - analysis

The Baggies wrapped up their summer training camp with hard-fought draw at NK Varteks of Croatia, ensuring a positive conclusion to a trip that began against a backdrop of potential unrest.

But there was a tinge of disappointment in the final reckoning in the industrial town of Varazdin, thanks largely to another meeting with Croatian opposition that Scott Carson will want to forget.

It's safe to assume the Baggies keeper will not be booking his summer holidays in Dubrovnik or Zagreb next summer.

He would doubtless lose his luggage or contract sunstroke, such is his record when it comes to Croatia.

Yet, aside from their keeper's latest mishap against his bogey nation, Albion's clash with the talented top-flight side represented a pleasing end to a tour that started slowly but got better and better.

It began with Jonathan Greening wanting out with many of his team-mates hot, bothered and - frankly - seeming a little bit down in the dumps.

The subdued vibe in the opening 48 hours away was a cause for concern.

But, from the moment they kicked off against NK Nafta last Wednesday, things began to look up.

The confidence boost from the demolition of the Slovenian side was tangible and the result set off a chain of events that wiped away most of the major worries.

A day off in the sun left the squad looking refreshed and, when they got back to work on Friday, the smiles were back, the volume was raised and pre-season got going for real.

Friday training was competitive, noisy and energetic. Saturday was shorter but with a similar atmosphere.

The Baggies simply carried the vibe from Ptuj across the border into Croatia.

It took a fantastic strike from veteran Miljenko Mumlek and an audacious lob from Zoran Lesjak to twice peg Albion back, after Craig Beattie had fired them 1-0 and 2-1 ahead to get his own pre-season up and running.

It was Roberto Di Matteo's men who had the better of the game and created more than enough chances to claim a comfortable win.

Like most coaches, Di Matteo will maintain that results in July mean nothing come the start of the real campaign.

Yet, such was the fragile mood of the Baggies camp after last season's trouble, performances like Saturday's could be vital to restoring a spring to their step.

Beattie was the most obvious beneficiary, making the most of an injury to Simon Cox to claim a starting place and strike twice.

But there was pleasing signs elsewhere, too, with Youssouf Mulumbu again outstanding in the engine room, Marek Cech excelling in the first half in a wide midfield role and Jonas Olsson emerging as a calming figure at the heart of defence.

The home side made the early running and when Sasa Hojski caught Jonathan Greening in possession in the third minute and teed up Miljenko Mumlek, he fired just wide.

A minute later Andrej Vuk tried his luck from 25 yards with a fierce drive that Carson parried.

Hojski was next to shoot but his deflected shot was gathered comfortably low down by Carson. But Albion began finding their feet and Cech found space wide on the left but his cross was too hard for Gianni Zuiverloon at the far post.

The Baggies thought they had gone ahead on 12 minutes when a fine ball out wide by Mulumbu released Chris Brunt and his cross from the right was turned home at the far post by Beattie. But the celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

From the free-kick that followed, Varteks allowed Albion in again with Cech hustling Nikola Tkalcic and Beattie robbing him. The time the Scot made no mistake, charging into the box and rifling a shot into the top corner with the aid of a slight deflection.

Albion had to defend a free-kick moments later when Carson picked up a back pass from Gianni Zuiverloon but it was rolled to Hojski, whose low drive was cleared off the line by Leon Barnett.

Bu the Croatians were level on 19 minutes, after Mulumbu conceded a free-kick and was booked for dissent.

Captain Mumlek stepped up and curled a brilliant shot past Carson from 20 yards.

Brunt should have restored Albion's lead when Andrija Balajic presented the ball at his feet in the edge of the box, but goalkeeper Denis Krklec blocked his low shot.

Varteks had a great chance on 27 minutes, when Sandro Bloudek fired wide from Vuk's cross.

The breathless start to the game gave way to a quiet spell but Albion had another fine chance three minutes from the break, when Mulumbu's brilliant ball found Luke Moore's well-timed run but the striker's shot was kept out by Krklec.

Eight minutes into the second half Albion regained their lead, when Beattie grabbed his second of the game to cap a fine move.

Zuiverloon's ball released Greening and he burst clear, before squaring for Beattie to roll home a simple shot.

Albion looked to be closing out victory with some ease, until the home side drew level three minutes from the final whistle.

Substitute Lesjak spotted Carson a fraction off his line and beat the Albion keeper with a superb lob from 25 yards.