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WEST BROMWICH ALBION v
LUTON TOWN After last week's FA Cup exploits it's back to league action for Tony Mowbray's men as they take on a struggling Luton Town side that sit 19th in the Championship table and just five points off the relegation zone. After last season's impressive return to the second tier of English football, hopes were high in Bedfordshire that the club could perhaps push for a play-off place but a combination of injuries, players departing for pastures new and off-field controversy have combined to leave the Hatters looking nervously over their shoulders at the bottom three. With Curtis Davies and Carlos Edwards already cherry-picked by bigger clubs, Rowan Vine on Thursday became the latest player to leave Kenilworth Road for big money, joining Albion's promotion rivals Birmingham City for a fee that could rise as high as £3million. Whilst Vine was seemingly well over priced, and somewhat over rated perhaps, there is no question that his goals will be missed by a Town side already without the services of fellow strikers Sam Parkin and Calvin Andrew. Albion meanwhile will be looking to continue their impressive home form, attempting to make it seven wins in a row at The Hawthorns. Not since Norwich's single goal victory on November 11 have Albion dropped points on their own patch. With Paul McShane suspended, Martin Albrechtsen doubtful, Nigel Quashie having departed for another relegation battle - this time with West Ham - and Nathan Ellington wanting out of the club, Mowbray's squad is starting to look a little bit threadbare and seriously in need of reinforcements. With Zoltan Gera attracting interest from elsewhere and the futures of Pascal Zuberbuhler, Chris Perry and John Hartson looking less than 100% certain, it is vital Baggies' chairman Jeremy Peace backs his manager as fully as possible. With just Slovenian international Robert Koren moving to The Hawthorns so far this month and after missing out on the aforementioned Rowan Vine, questions are once again being asked of Peace's chairmanship and ambition. With Luton generally struggling away from home, all the signs and predictions are pointing towards an Albion victory, a prediction I agree with - I'm going for a 2-0 home win. COME ON YOU BAGGIES !!! TEAM NEWS Albion Russell Hoult will start for Albion hoping to continue the fine form he showed against Leeds last weekend. Pascal Zuberbuhler will provide back-up to Hoult on the bench with Luke Steele out on loan at Coventry City until the end of the season. In defence Tony Mowbray will be without Paul McShane who sits out the game due to suspension. The Baggies could also be without Martin Albrechtsen with the Danish international struggling to recover from the groin injury he suffered at Southend on New Year's Day. With McShane out and Albrechtsen looking doubtful the right-back position looks likely to be filled by Steve Watson although young Jared Hodgkiss may also be considered. Neil Clement will partner Curtis Davies in the centre of defence with Paul Robinson starting at left-back. Chris Perry looks likely to provide back up on the bench. In midfield Mowbray looks set to keep faith with the quartet of Jonathan Greening, Jason Koumas, Richard Chaplow and Diomansy Kamara although recent signing Robert Koren, Darren Carter and Zoltan Gera are all pushing for a place in the starting line-up. Ronnie Wallwork is still recovering from injuries sustained in a serious assault at the end of November. With leading scorer Kamara looking likely to start in midfield, Kevin Phillips and John Hartson look set to continue their partnership up front after both netted last weekend. Despite slapping in a transfer request, Nathan Ellington may still figure according to Baggies' boss Mowbray but the best the want-away star can hope for is a place on the bench. Albion From: Hoult, Zuberbuhler, Albrechtsen, Hodgkiss, Davies, Clement, Robinson, Perry, Watson, Koumas, Greening, Carter, Gera, Chaplow, Koren, Kamara, Phillips, Hartson, Ellington. Luton Town On-loan keeper Dean Kiely could return to the Hatters' starting line-up after being refused permission by Portsmouth to play in last weekend's FA Cup tie at Queens Park Rangers. Marlon Beresford will make way if Kiely returns. In defence Luton will be without rumoured Albion target Leon Barnett who is out through suspension whilst full-back Kevin Foley is doubtful with a heel injury. Mike Newell is likely to go with a back four of Sol Davis, Chris Coyne, Russell Perrett and Keith Keane. Lewis Emanuel looks set to return to the Hatters' midfield after recovering from injury where he looks likely to link up with three from David Bell, Ahmet Brkovic, Richard Langley and Steve Robinson. Finland international Markus Heikkinen is definitely out. Up front Mike Newell will be without Rowan Vine who completed a £2million move to Birmingham City on Thursday. His likely replacement will be Dean Morgan who will link up with Warren Feeney. Calvin Andrew and Sam Parkin are both out injured. Luton Town From: Kiely, Beresford, Keane, Davis, Coyne, Perrett, Robinson, Emanuel, Bell, Brkovic, Langley, Morgan, Feeney, Brill, O'Leary, Boyd, Holmes. MATCH OFFICIALS Referee: Jon Moss (Yorkshire) This will be the first Albion game Jon Moss has officiated.
Assistant
Referees: Mark Astley (Greater Manchester), Mo Matadar (Lancashire) FORM GUIDE Albion - Last Six Games: Leeds United (h) Won 3-1; Southend United (a) Lost 1-3; Ipswich Town (h) Won 2-0; Preston North End (h) Won 4-2; Plymouth Argyle (a) Drew 2-2; Coventry City (h) Won 5-0 Luton Town - Last Six Games: Queens Park Rangers (a) Drew 2-2; Cardiff City (h) Drew 0-0; Birmingham City (a) Drew 2-2; Colchester United (a) Lost 4-1; Coventry City (h) Won 3-1; Southend United (h) Drew 0-0 WHAT THE BOOKIES SAY Albion to win: 4/7; Luton Town to win: 9/2; Draw: 9/4 First Goalscorer: Diomansy Kamara (7/2); John Hartson, Kevin Phillips (4/1); Jason Koumas (9/2); Zoltan Gera (6/1); Robert Koren (7/1); Warren Feeney (11/1) LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS
Albion: Miller, McDermott, Smith, Sneekes, Burgess, Raven, Flynn, Hamilton, Taylor (Peschisolido 45), Hunt, Kilbane. Subs Not Used: Spink, Dobson Scorers: Raven 40, McDermott 52, Peschisolido 67,88 Luton Town: Dibble, Evers, Harvey, Waddock, Davis, White, Gray, McLaren, Oldfield, Douglas (Thorpe 45), Davies (George 85). Subs Not Used: Doherty Scorers: Davis 37, Thorpe 74
Referee:
Phil Richards (Liverpool) Half-Time: Albion 1-1 Luton Town Attendance: 7,227 Ray Harford's West Brom were made to fight every inch of the way before sending his old club - now in division two - crashing out of the Coca-Cola Cup in a six-goal cracker at the Hawthorns. A magnificent shot from defender Steve Davis gave injury-hit Town the lead, but Albion booked their passage into the third round with a Paul Peschisolido double and goals from Paul Raven and Andy McDermott. Tony Thorpe was Luton's other marksman. Davis made it two goals in two games when he opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a terrific freekick from 25 yards, after Raven had handled a flick-on from Stuart Douglas. But it was 1-1 just three minutes later, Raven making amends for his earlier mistake as he found the target with a well-placed angled drive following a pass from Andy Hunt. Albion took the lead for the first time in the 52nd minute, when full-back McDermott - a £400,000 deadline-day signing last season from QPR - claimed his first goal for the club. Richard Sneekes supplied the cross for McDermott to leave on-loan keeper Andy Dibble helpless with a blistering angled drive from 25 yards. Substitute Peschisolido increased Albion's lead in the 67th minute with a perfect chip over Dibble after a marvellous pass from Sean Flynn had wrong-footed the Town defence. Luton, missing 13 key players through injury, reduced the arrears in the 74th minute with a 35-yard shot from Thorpe, after the substitute had held off two defenders in a determined run. The menacing Peschisolido completed the scoring with a close-range 88th minute shot to earn Albion a 5-3 aggregate victory. But Harford's men had to endure a number of heart-stopping moments before the final whistle, with keeper Alan Miller stopping a goalbound header from Phil Gray on the line with a foot. (Sporting Life) A full fixture history can be found here CURRENT CONNECTIONS Curtis Davies became the costliest defender in Albion's history when he moved from Kenilworth Road in August 2005 for a transfer fee of £3million. Baggies' striker John Hartson started his career at Luton before moving onto Arsenal in January 1995. Hatters' goalkeeper Dean Kiely - currently on loan from Portsmouth - was a youth player at The Hawthorns during the mid 1980's. PAST CONNECTIONS Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Jack Bannister, Ian Benjamin, Eddie Connelly, Andy Dibble, Tony Godden, Tony Grealish, Billy Gripton, Derek Kevan, Andy King, Stacey North, Darren Patterson, Andy Petterson and Imre Varadi.
Ray Harford
managed both clubs; Former Albion goalkeeping coach Fred Barber
was a Luton player; Brian Whitehouse played for Albion and later
became a Luton trainer; Henry 'Swin' Jackson was secretary of both
clubs. |
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