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 Sunday 15th May 2005, Barclays Premiership, The Hawthorns, Kick-Off 3:00pm
Albion: Kuszczak, Albrechtsen, Gaardsoe, Clement, Robinson, Gera, Wallwork, Richardson, Greening (Horsfield 58), Campbell, Earnshaw (Kanu 84). Subs not used: Murphy (gk), Moore, Inamoto Portsmouth: Ashdown, Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Taylor, O'Neil, Cisse, Hughes (Skopelitis 50), Kamara (Rodic 65), Fuller, Keene (Mezague 81). Subs not used: Chalkias (gk), Duffy Referee: Mike Riley
(West Yorkshire)
Assistant Referees: Rob
Martin (South Yorkshire), Martin Yerby (Kent) Half-Time: Albion 0-0 Portsmouth Attendance: 27,751 Conditions: Warm and sunny MATCH REPORT BY: Mark Thomas THE GREATEST ESCAPE
The afternoon started with a party atmosphere in the ground, aided by the noisy contingent of Portsmouth fans that had travelled down hoping to celebrate the relegation of their hated rivals Southampton. I don't think the nerves really kicked in until the game got underway but when they did it was like no other feeling I've experienced. Albion started very nervously and were thankful that Portsmouth had left their shooting boots at home for the day, ex-Albion trialist Ricardo Fuller guilty of missing a particularly easy chance. The first cheer of the day came at eleven minutes past three from the hundreds of fans that had brought radios into the ground with them. The cheers signified that things were starting to go our way elsewhere, Fulham had taken the lead against Norwich at Craven Cottage, goals for Manchester United and Charlton before half-time were also celebrated like one of our own. At half-time results were also going our way but it was to be no good if we didn't make a breakthrough ourselves. That breakthrough came thirteen minutes into the second half, it was hard to say if we had improved or whether it was more a case of Portsmouth losing interest but we were definitely now the better team. Geoff Horsfield had only been on the pitch thirty seconds or so before he dispatched a right foot volley underneath the Portsmouth keeper and into the back of the net to send not only the Albion fans wild but a mass portion of the visiting fans too. For the first time in the afternoon we were out of the bottom three and how good that felt words cannot describe. Suddenly the focus switched from our game to events at Charlton and Southampton, Norwich were by this time 3-0 down and almost gone. Just moments before we had took the lead ex-Wolves striker Dougie Freedman had grabbed an equaliser for Palace and whilst we were still looking good for safety it would need just one more goal from either the Saints or Palace to condemn us to Championship football. It wasn't long before a goal at St Mary's did arrive, thankfully the cheers erupting around The Hawthorns told us it was a United and not Southampton goal that had been scored. It was now looking like it was a straight fight between us and Palace and they struck the first blow, news filtered through that they had been awarded a penalty, with Andy Johnson sure to take it and score there was suddenly a feeling of despondency around the ground. Sure enough he gave Palace the lead and no longer were we in the driving seat; for the first and possibly only time in our lives we were all willing Charlton on to score a goal. Not even a second goal for us from Kieran Richardson could really lift the gloom, sure we celebrated but it was fairly half-hearted then just seconds later a roar went up from a small section of the ground, suddenly everyone was asking the nearest person with a radio what was happening but no one could provide any answers. Just as quickly as it seemed Charlton had equalised we realised that they hadn't and we went back to fearing the worst. Never in my life have I experienced such a horrible feeling at a Football match and I'm sure I was not alone, the looks on the faces of everyone gave away the torture they were all going through. Just as everyone was starting to believe that it was just not going to be our day another huge roar went up, this time due to the amount of noise it surely couldn't be another false alarm and it wasn't, Jonathan Fortune had grabbed an equaliser for Charlton at The Valley. After the heroics of Gera and Earnshaw amongst others this season, were we to be saved by someone that doesn't even play for us? The answer was quite simply yes! Scenes so similar to those witnessed three years ago when we beat Wolves to promotion greeted the news that the Palace game was all over, scenes that will be remembered by all there for the rest of their lives. Most Albion fans that had witnessed our performances at the end of last year would never have believed that we would have taken the fight to the last day let alone actually stay up, for this we can be grateful to one man.. Bryan Robson. MAN OF THE MATCH: Geoff Horsfield PLAYER RATINGS OUT OF TEN Kuszczak 6 - Hardly anything to do. Albrechtsen 7 - Defended and attacked well. Gaardsoe 7 - Another cool and calm performance. Clement 6 - Excellent in the air but guilty of losing possession too much especially in the first half. Robinson 7 - Another excellent display from our most improved player. Gera 6 - Worked hard and helped set up the first goal. Wallwork 5 - A very poor first half, improved slightly after half time. Greening 5 - Didn't really get into the game, substituted for Horsfield. Richardson 7 - Worked hard and signed off his Albion spell with a well taken goal. Campbell 7 - Best performance for some time. Earnshaw 5 - Fairly quiet today and missed good chance early in game.
SUBS
Horsfield 7
- Scored one and set
one up, worked hard.
Becky: BOING BOING!!! We did it!!!!
PREMIER LEAGUE WERE HAVING A LAFF!!! Smudgy: I'm still in shock and it hasnt really sunk
in but one thing I will remember is how some
people reacted to hearing the Charlton game had
ended!! Astle: I went through every emotion and was stunned
at the end. The rumours started by the woman in the box was pissing
me off though. I will never forget it!!!! Shellywba: I was in the box lol Dale: Best game of my life without a doubt better than promotion.
SKY SPORTS Jonathan Fortune's late goal for Charlton ensured West Brom saved themselves from the drop following a crucial 2-0 win over Portsmouth. The Baggies began the day bottom the table, but other results went their way meaning second half goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson secured their Premiership status. With Norwich suffering a battering at Fulham and Southampton failing to beat Manchester United, West Brom were safe after Crystal Palace surrendered a late lead at Charlton. It is the first time since the inception of The Premiership that the team bottom at Christmas have avoided relegated. After a cagey start it was the home side who fashioned the first opportunity with Robert Earnshaw scuffing wide from Richardson's square ball. Gary O'Neil should have done better after 11 minutes, but he could only blaze over the bar from Matthew Taylor's left wing cross. Both sides were wasteful in front of goal with Earnshaw failing to get any purchase on his effort while Ricardo Fuller blazed wide under pressure from Martin Albrechtsen. James Keene, on his full debut for Pompey, looked lively in attack and he forced Tomasz Kuszczak into a save before being brought down just outside the area by Neil Clement. The visitors were content to hit The Baggies on the break and Fuller was twice unluckily deemed offside when clean through on goal. Just after the hour mark Kevin Campbell turned Dejan Stefanovic in the box only for Jamie Ashdown to palm the shot out for a corner. It proved a subdued finish to the opening 45 minutes with Aliou Cisse's wild shot the only noteworthy effort of the half. After Gera wasted a free-kick in a dangerous area, Kamara tried to assert himself on the contest. Kamara strong run was only halted by Albrechtsen and from the resulting set-piece O'Neil's measured effort was gathered away to his right by Kuszczak. Just when it looked liked it might not be Albion's day substitute Horsfield changed the game with virtually his first touch after replacing Jonathan Greening. The former Birmingham City man was on hand to volley home past Ashdown after Stefanovic redirected Gera's cross to Horsfield at the back post. Unsurprisingly the home side opted to keep things tight at the back, although they padded out their advantage with 15 minutes to go through Richardson. The on-loan Manchester United man collected Horsfield's back heel before rounding De Zeeuw in the box and lashing home into Ashdown's near post. Despite leading, the result would not have been enough with Palace winning at The Valley, but Fortune's late sparked scenes of joy at The Hawthorns.
pompeyfc.co.uk baggies.com wbaunofficial.com premierleague.com sportinglife.com
Bryan Robson: "This is the best achievement of my career, that's because when you're at a club like Manchester United, you're expected to win championships and European trophies and you're playing with great players. Everyone expected us to go down and when you go behind in the Premiership, it is really difficult to catch up. The players have responded and kept battling no matter what the circumstances. Great credit must go to all the players." "I haven't really had difficult times here. It was a matter of me sorting things out. We had a few bad results when we were looking at the squad and I got a little bit of stick. We knew it was going to take a bit of time to turn around but as soon as the fans saw we were doing something right, full credit to them because they could not have been anymore fantastic than they have been. They got right behind us and have created unbelievable atmospheres. Everybody at the club deserves what they have achieved." "Full credit to the players for the way they have worked on the training pitch and listened to the things that Nigel and I wanted them to do since the turn of the year. They have been terrific and all this about if you're bottom at Christmas you can't survive, they have coped with. A lot of weaker characters could have used that as an excuse but no matter what has happened they haven't. They have worked hard for each other but it's not just about the players. It is about the backroom staff throughout the whole of the club. Coming up with the Great Escape idea, and T-Mobile backing that, was brilliant. The fans got right behind it and they really had something to believe in." "If you are going to achieve anything in the game everyone has got to pull together and if you don't it won't happen. I used the bottom at Christmas stigma as a motivational thing. Why is it that a team bottom at Christmas has to go down? I said all along let's make history by staying in this division. The lads took that on board and were really up for the challenge. The way the teams at the bottom were going, it was always going to be a low target to stay up." "The only time other scores affected me today was with about ten minutes to go when Palace were 2-1 up and I thought 'oh no, is it not going to be? but as I said to the boys at the beginning of the game, all you can do is concentrate on your own game and make sure we get three points. The players did that and did that really well." "It was a great moment when we found out the results had gone our way." Geoff Horsfield: "As first touches go, it wasn't bad, was it?, it was a great introduction to the game because like all the other lads on the bench, I was itching to get on. The gaffer gave me his reasons why I wasn't in the starting team and I accepted that and just wanted to make sure that if I came on, I could affect the game." "It's always hard being on the bench, especially on a day like today. Every footballer will tell you that all they want to do is play, but I've been around the game and I know that's not always possible. I just dug in, as I have when it's happened other times this season, and I'm pleased that in the end I've had a part to play in all of this. It's nice to be the hero on the day but it's not about individuals." "It's great for the fans to have come through this and to have the Premier League to look forward to again next season. I'm delighted for the gaffer, for the board, the staff and everybody that's connected with the place. It's a pleasure to be a part of this squad." "We've got some great players and great lads and that togetherness has helped us do something no club has ever achieved before. It was tough to keep the focus on the game in the second half, especially when we were ahead, because then everything was about the games elsewhere. You hear all the stuff coming out of the crowd, celebrating the other results, and even the Portsmouth supporters who were desperate for Southampton to go down. When Kieran scored the crowd went quiet so we knew something wasn't right, but all you can do is keep playing and get your result done." "Coming off the pitch, we still didn't know what the result was and we just wanted to keep quiet and wait until we knew what the score was for definite. It was nail biting but when it came through and we'd survived, it was the best feeling in the world." Kieran Richardson: "I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my time at Albion, it's been a great experience for me. I've really enjoyed it. The lads and coaching staff have all been magnificent towards me from the word go." "When I came here in late January we were bottom. Nobody gave us a chance and now we're safe. Words can't express what I feel about it. It's amazing." "It was nice to get the goal because it put the game away. It meant we'd done what we had to do. It was just weird when the crowd went so quiet after I'd scored it!" "It was a difficult game, especially all the time it was 0-0. When Geoff Horsfield came on and got the first goal, it settled us down and from there I didn't think we would lose it, but obviously it was hard having to wait and see what happened elsewhere." Source: wba.co.uk
Alain Perrin: "The relegation situation was not our problem, our aim was to try and take some points to improve our position in the table but I think the desire of West Brom was perhaps more." "We showed we were professional in the way we went out to try and get points and there is a good spirit here. I thought that we had the better chances and if we had scored when we looked like doing then it might have been a different story. They took what we had to throw at them in the first half and scored an all important goal after the break when they made a substitution but I don't think anyone can say we lied down and it was a match that could have gone anyway." Source: pompeyfc.co.uk
The victory was Albion's 1000th in top flight football. The attendance was the highest ever all-seated crowd to assemble at The Hawthorns.
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Fuller 33 (Foul)
All week during the build up to the game most Albion fans had suffered
nerves and tension but it was to be nothing compared to what we were going
to have to suffer during the course of this game. Most fans were fairly
confident that we could do the business and claim three points but surely
it was too much to expect the other three teams involved in the relegation
scrap to all fail to win?
