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 Thursday 24th August 2006, Carling Cup Round 1, Matchroom Stadium, Kick-Off 7:45pm
Leyton Orient: Glyn Garner, Justin Miller (Daryl McMahon 77), Brian Saah, Clayton Fortune, Matthew Lockwood, Shane Tudor, Craig Easton, Donny Barnard, Wayne Corden, Jabo Ibehre (Gary Alexander 72), Paul Connor (Lee Steele 72). Subs not used: Glenn Morris (gk), Joe Keith Albion: Pascal Zuberbuhler, Martin Albrechtsen, Curtis Davies (c), Paul McShane, Paul Robinson, Jonathan Greening, Ronnie Wallwork, Richard Chaplow, Darren Carter, Stuart Nicholson, Kevin Phillips (John Hartson 76). Subs not used: Luke Steele (gk), Junichi Inamoto, Jared Hodgkiss, Nigel Quashie
Referee: Kevin Wright (Cambridgshire)
Half-Time:
Leyton Orient 0-1 Albion
Attendance: 3,058 (718 Albion fans) Conditions:
Calm, clear night
ALBION
TEAM NEWS:
Baggies’ boss Bryan Robson made six changes to the team that
had started the previous four games. He handed debuts to new signings
Kevin Phillips and Paul McShane whilst young striker Stuart Nicholson was
named in a starting line-up for the first time. Darren Carter, Richard
Chaplow and Martin Albrechtsen all made their first starts of the season
with John Hartson and Nigel Quashie dropping to the bench and Steve
Watson, Nathan Ellington, Zoltan Gera and Chris Perry rested. LEYTON ORIENT
TEAM NEWS:
O’s boss Martin Ling made six changes from the side that lost
3-1 at Carlisle United last Saturday. Justin Miller, Brian Saah, Donny
Barnard, Wayne Corden, Jabo Ibehre and Paul Connor came into the side
replacing Michael Simpson, Adam Tann, Gary Alexander, Lee Steele, Joe
Keith and the injured
John Mackie. After seeing numerous Championship clubs knocked out by lower league opposition on the previous two nights, Bryan Robson’s men travelled to East London for what promised to be a tricky test in front of the Sky TV cameras. As expected the Baggies’ boss rested a number of first team regulars, giving Kevin Phillips, Paul McShane and Stuart Nicholson their first starts for the club and Darren Carter, Martin Albrechtsen and Richard Chaplow their first starts of the season. On seven minutes it was Nicholson that had the game’s first chance, a deflected Phillips’ shot put him clear on goal but the youngster delayed his shot allowing O’s defender Matt Lockwood to block his effort. An even game came to life in the13th minute when Donny Barnard got his head on the end of Wayne Corden's left-wing corner. Thankfully for Albion Curtis Davies was once again in the right place at the right time to head away the danger and from the clearance Albion, led by Phillips Carter and Greening broke quickly, the counter-attack culminating in a weak shot from Carter that Orient keeper Glyn Garner saved comfortably. Albion had a lucky escape just three minutes later when Pascal Zuberbuhler, who once again looked far from steady, mis-hit a clearance straight to Jabo Ibehre. The big striker hit a first-time effort from 35 yards which flashed just wide of the post with the Swiss keeper stuck in no-mans land. Although his goals against record is impressive this season it’s surely only a matter of time that one of his ‘clangers’ will cost us a goal and game. The lively Nicholson, who was linking up well with debutant Phillips, was the next player to try his luck, latching onto a Albrechtsen cross to hit a weak shot from 15 yards that Garner easily gathered. The hosts came close to taking the lead in the 28th minute when the dangerous Ibehre leapt highest to get on the end of Matt Lockwood's right-wing corner-kick. His downward header was fumbled by Zuberbuhler but thankfully for the Swiss keeper Ronnie Wallwork was on hand to clear the danger. The deadlock was finally broken in the 41st minute, when a Phillips' flick-on sent Chaplow through on goal. The ex-Burnley midfielder took the ball on and hit an 18 yard shot that Garner could only parry straight into the path of Nicholson who dispatched the ball into the roof of the net for his first senior goal. The joy of the moment sent the youngster running over into the crowd to get a handshake off his dad, predictably referee Kevin Wright was not far behind him waiting to issue a yellow card. Ex-Birmingham City man Carter came close to doubling the visitors lead a minute before half-time flashing a 25 yard free-kick just wide. Two minutes into the second half, Phillips went close to opening his Albion goalscoring account, heading a Greening cross just over the Orient goal. The former England international almost turned villain minutes later however when his misplaced pass gave Shane Tudor a sight of goal but the former Wolves’ star could only fire weakly wide from 20 yards out. Albion had started to get sloppy, allowing the home side more and more possession and in the 55th minute Wayne Corden tested Zuberbuhler with a 12 yard shot after being set up by Paul Conner. The Baggies’ keeper was tested again three minutes later, tipping over a 20 yard strike from Craig Easton. Goalscorer Nicholson should have grabbed his second of the game in the 67th minute when he headed wide from Albrechtsen's excellent right-wing centre, it was an excellent chance created by the pace of the Danish defender, something all too rarely seen in the Albion team nowadays. Five minutes later the visitors did grab a second goal to effectively kill the tie off, Carter unleashing a fierce left-foot volley from the corner of the six-yard box after Greening had flighted the ball to the far post. The strike brought applause from the vast majority of the paltry 3,000 crowd. After winning last year’s goal of the season award for his strike against Arsenal it would be a major surprise and will take something really special to prevent him picking up this season’s award too. On 75 minutes Greening gave the scoreline a far more emphatic look when he slotted home following a neat one-two with Nicholson. Albion, with the outstanding Davies and impressive McShane at the heart of defence played out the remaining fifteen minutes with ease and so booked themselves a place in the second round.
ALBION MAN OF THE MATCH: Curtis Davies PLAYER RATINGS OUT OF TEN Zuberbuhler
5 - Made yet more blunders, this time with his kicking. Unfortunately
looks only a matter of time before he costs us goals and games.
Albrechtsen 5 -
Handed chance to impress but failed to. Passing was poor at times as was
his defending.
SUBS: REF WATCH Kevin Wright 7 - Not too bad a performance, fair to both sides and kept game flowing.
FAN
WATCH
wba.co.uk
Bryan Robson: "In the league, we've had good advantages and haven't killed teams off. But against Orient, although the level was different, we killed them off. That's what I want them to be doing in Championship games. "The longer you go without being beaten is good for confidence and good for morale. "The lads who came in all did a very good job. That's what I expect from them because there is not too much to choose between the players in the squad. That holds us in good stead for the rest of the season when I have injuries and suspensions." Source: wba.co.uk
Martin Ling:
"I thought we asked them some questions in the first half and
until the second goal went in I thought we could get back into it. Source: leytonorient.com
The win is Albion's biggest ever at Orient.
The attendance is the
lowest for a competitive first team game since August 10, 1999 when 2,451
watched Albion play out a goalless draw with Halifax Town at The Shay in a
Worthington Cup first round tie. Ronnie Wallwork makes his 100th appearance for the club.
Paul McShane and Kevin Phillips both make their Albion debuts whilst
Stuart Nicholson makes his first start for the club and scores his first
goal in competitive action. |
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