Albion plan comes together

Peterborough United 0 West Bromwich Albion 3

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? writes Steve Madeley.

FA Cup fourth round day ran so perfectly for Albion that Tony Mowbray must have written the script himself.

It wasn't one of the Albion manager's famous classics.

There was no real drama, barely a plot twist in sight and precious little tension. And to the enormous relief of all involved there was never a suggestion of a sequel.

In fact, if last Saturday's clash with Cardiff was a Mowbray blockbuster, Saturday at London Road was more of a users' manual for all fancied sides in cup ties.

There was enough pace and passion to the story to keep the audience entertained but never any danger of the excitement becoming too much.

Most importantly, it ticked all of the boxes that Mowbray would have listed as he players took to the field.

To hell with the magic and romance of the FA Cup.

Albion's objectives on Saturday were simple and straightforward – avoid potential embarrassment, reach the fifth round, steer clear of injuries and bookings and try to conserve energy for the trip to Preston tomorrow night.

The Match of the Day crew had barely had time to remove their lens caps before a bill-topping upset was effectively out of the question.

The rest of the pieces of Mowbray's perfect jigsaw had fallen into place with more than half-an-hour to go.

To the finest details, Mowbray's strategy unfolded as he must have dreamed as he contemplated the task ahead on Friday evening.

His key goalscorers played 45 minutes each and both scored.

What could well emerge as his preferred back four grew in stature throughout an afternoon that culminated in a morale-boosting clean sheet.

His veteran goalkeeper proved he will not leave the side without a fight as the latest challenger to his place was packing his bags to jet in to The Hawthorns.

And the win was secure so early that Mowbray even grasped the opportunity to give his hard-working captain a 25-minute breather with tomorrow's appointment at Deepdale in mind.

Anyone looking hard enough for negatives might find them in the disappointed figure of Craig Beattie as he made way for Sherjill MacDonald with 12 minutes remaining.

The Scottish striker had missed a handful of presentable chances to add to his tally of Albion goals and picked up a harsh yellow card moments before he was withdrawn.

But, as he continues his quest to prove himself to the doubters in the stands, even Beattie had plenty of reasons to be delighted with his afternoon's work.

He had a major hand in all three Albion goals even if his 'assist' for at least one was inadvertent, and his workrate and use of the ball was virtually faultless.

Things could only have gone better for Mowbray had he had the opportunity to blood teenage protege Lateef Alford-Alliyu.

But as he opted for experience and took no chances with his matchday 16, the 15-year-old striker's first team introduction will have to wait for another day.

Mowbray was not to know how the afternoon would unfold. But as it turned out there would have been ample opportunity to hand the precocious schoolboy a taste of senior action.

Because from the moment midfielder Robert Koren squeezed a rebound over the line for his eighth goal of the season to make it 2-0 there was little doubt which of the free-scoring teams would take a place in the last 16 of the cup.

The potential ding-dong goalfest from the two highest scoring sides in the Football League never materialised – because the Baggies did not allow it.

Except for a brief storm at the beginning of the second half, Posh never made a big enough impression on the Baggies to have Mowbray worried over the potential for an upset.

And once Kevin Phillips had rifled home an emphatic 57th-minute penalty seconds after Posh were reduced to 10 men, both sides had their minds on important fixtures to come.

Albion signaled their intentions from the outset and they had several moments of promise in the opening stages despite a succession of Peterborough corners that sparked the odd moment of uncertainty in the Baggies box.

Roman Bednar was twice stopped in his tracks, first when he was eased out by Kieran Charnock as he chased Paul Robinson's high ball and then when goalkeeper Joe Lewis beat him to a clever through-ball from Beattie. But, in the eighth minute, the new-look strike duo combined to deadly effect with a slice of help from midfielder Filipe Teixeira.

He jinked his way towards goal from the right-hand corner of the box and picked out Beattie, whose driven cross-shot was turned home at the far post from a couple of yards by Bednar.

It was his 11th goal in as many starts and such is his growing reputation as a quality poacher that the finish was never in doubt.

Six minutes later, Albion created breathing space as Koren capitalised on a high-quality move. Beattie turned on halfway and found James Morrison out wide, he ran at Jamie Day and curled a shot against the woodwork.

Beattie scuffed at his follow-up before Koren forced it home.

The remainder of the half was pleasing on the eye and there were odd scares for Albion with Morrison clearing off the line and Dean Kiely saving from Charlie Lee.

The beginning of the second half was the closest Albion came to being rattled.

Kiely flew high to turn away a powerful shot by Aaron McLean and the keeper did well again to scramble away a downward header from Dean Keates.

But in between the two chances came the moment that sealed the course of the game as Beattie flicked on for Jonathan Greening, who raced into the box and was clipped by Craig Morgan. Greening went down, Morgan was sent off, substitute Phillips dispatched the spot-kick and it was game over.

Other half-chances came and went but they were largely irrelevant.

The pattern was set and Albion's mission was accomplished.

Precisely as Mowbray had planned.