THE ROAR OF APPROVAL that greeted the final whistle was entirely understandable considering their team’s gutsy dominance of the Barclays Premiership’s first Birmingham derby of the season, but West Bromwich Albion may come to rue days such as these. Unbeaten in their opening two games and displaying enough craft and graft to come back from a goal behind to look the likelier winners, Albion will take much heart from another 1-1 draw, following the result against Blackburn Rovers. Yet this was a good day for Albion; and you have to make your good days count.
Gary Megson’s team created sufficient goalscoring opportunities to have won this match handsomely. Yet such is the quality of the Premiership that one goal from nine decent chances marks a poor return.
Villa were second best, certainly after the opening 20 minutes in which Olof Mellberg scored from one header, from Thomas Hitzlsperger’s cross, and had another effort cleared off the line, and Albion should have made their advantage count. Neil Clement, a full back playing in central midfield, maintained his place at the top of the scoring charts by finishing clinically.
“I thought we had lots of chances but considering we went a goal behind, we’d have seen this as a decent point at that stage,” Megson said. “But the players in the dressing-room are very disappointed not to pick up the three points.”
That is a measure of Albion’s progress. Villa, sixth last season and with Juan Pablo Ángel, last season’s leading goalscorer, back in belated action even as David O’Leary, their manager, attempts to add James Beattie to his squad, were relieved to emerge unbeaten. Two years ago, their pride took a sizeable knock as they lost both their second city clashes with newly-promoted Birmingham City and, while this derby carries less significance, it is not a fixture to lose lightly.
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The turning point of the match arrived in the eighteenth minute. From Nolberto Solano’s corner, Mellberg’s header was partially saved by Russell Hoult, the goalkeeper, before Paul Robinson took to the air to volley spectacularly clear. The ball appeared to have crossed the line but Mark Halsey, the referee, adjudged otherwise.
“I would say I thought it had crossed the line,” O’Leary said, “and it’s very hard on the linesman who has only got a split second to make his decision. But there were a few things that didn’t go our way today and a lot of decisions left a lot to be desired. That’s not to take anything away from West Brom, though. They worked ever so hard, as they’ll have to. I hope they stay up.”
Thomas Sorensen, the Villa goalkeeper, saved expertly from Geoff Horsfield, after Kanu’s exquisite lay-off, before Clement rose implausibly high to head in Jonathan Greening’s free kick, awarded for Martin Laursen’s shove on Horsfield.
Albion dominated the second period when both Darren Purse and Clement could have scored from Greening’s deliveries. The best chance fell to Horsfield, put clear by Zoltan Gera, but Villa’s bête noire from two years ago stabbed his shot wide. Still, better to be missing the chances than not creating them at all.