Get Free Stuff Here

West Bromwich Albion 4                      Bradford City 1
Ellington 23, 72                           Schumacher 45
Kamara 33
Earnshaw 77

With four points from the opening two games, Albion fans could be forgiven for getting carried away. Sitting safely in the top half of the table with the Premiership’s leading goal scorer, August was a great month for The Baggies. 

But football is a fickle game and after only one point from the last four games the fans who, somewhat prematurely, were confident of a mid-table finish a month ago are now praying for Premiership survival.

It seems West Bromwich Albion’s Premiership potential has diminished with the summer sun and anything but a long, hard winter is now unlikely.

So it was with some relief that The Hawthorn’s welcomed League One side Bradford City for a League Cup tie, with six senior strikers relishing the opportunity to impress boss Robson who has been unwilling to stick with two first choice centre forwards, opting instead to chop and change for every game.

The opening ten minutes saw a ragged display from both teams, but as the game calmed West Bromwich Albion started to show their superior passing ability, switching the ball from wing to wing.

£1.5m new signing, Diomansy Kamara showed great movement cutting in from left on his home debut, displaying deft touches of the ball and was rewarded with a powerfully headed goal from a Greening corner. Unfortunately, he was injured soon after and replaced by Ricardo Schimica on 38 minutes.

Nathan Ellington scored his first two goals for the Albion and looked strong on the ball when holding up the play and when breaking with his considerable pace, qualities Bryan Robson has lacked since he arrived as manager a year ago. 

His strike partner Robert Earnshaw also opened his account for the season and worked tirelessly, chasing the ball and causing a nuisance of himself. If Robson is looking for two of his six strikers to click together then this display must convince him to give Ellington and Earnshaw a Premiership start together. 

Darren Moore enjoyed a rare start at the back in place of the out of favour Thomas Gaardsoe and was given the captaincy for the night. He didn’t disappoint with a resolute performance next to the ever-ready Neil Clement.

Bradford City did score a goal back on the stroke of half time, Steven Schumacher moving in brilliantly from the left and getting in front of his marker Steve Watson to head in from 6 yards to make it 2-1 at half time.

The second half saw Albion’s higher level of fitness dictate, as The Bantams were always second to the ball.   

On 50 minutes, Nigerian International, Kanu came on as substitute to replace the uncharacteristically subdued Jonathan Greening. He played in a free role behind the front two and instantly started to dictate the play.

With the ball at his feet there are few better players in the Albion squad and he sliced open the Bradford defence on more then one occasion, sliding the ball through for Ellington to score from a sublime chip for number three and setting up the fourth with a beautifully weighted ball with the outside of his boot for Earnshaw to run on to.

He was unlucky not to get on the score sheet himself, putting the ball in the net from a close range header only to be disallowed for a dubious foul on the goalkeeper.  
Left back Martin Albrechsten was given his marching orders with 10 minutes to go for tripping Dean Windass when he was clean through on goal, although the crowd were far from convinced at the decision.