HARTSON BRACE GETS BAGGIES OFF TO A FLYER

After an absence of three months, league action finally returned to The Hawthorns with the visit of Hull City. With the visitors from Humberside undergoing a summer of upheaval hopes were high that Bryan Robson’s men would end a nine year wait for an Albion victory on the opening day of the season.

The Baggies’ team line-up held no surprises with new signings Pascal Zuberbuhler, John Hartson and Chris Perry all handed their league debuts. The decision to play the inferior Zuberbuhler in goal instead of Tomasz Kuszcak perhaps the strongest sign yet that the Polish international won’t be at The Hawthorns for very much longer. Alongside Kuszczak on the substitutes bench was the usual glut of midfielders which was not really much of a confidence boost for the overlooked strike duo of Rob Elvins and Stuart Nicholson.

Albion started the game superbly with Zoltan Gera in particular causing numerous problems to a very slow and ponderous looking City defence. As early as the second minute the Hungarian international embarked on a forceful right-wing run beating two men before putting in a low cross for Nathan Ellington who cleverly back-healed the ball into the path of the unmarked Jonathan Greening. Luckily for the visitors Greening’s 15 yard effort was blocked by Tigers’ debutant Michael Turner. Two minutes later Greening turned provider, swinging over an inch perfect cross for Gera who forced a point-blank save out of Boaz Myhill in the City goal.

The visitors were now struggling to cope with Albion’s fast and fluent passing game and Gera and Greening combined once more in the 11th minute when Gera found Greening with a pinpoint far-post cross, Myhill pulling off another great save to push Greening’s downward header onto the post. Just 60 seconds later the irrepressible Gera should have opened the scoring for the hosts but only managed to volley Paul Robinson’s excellent cross high over the bar from 12 yards out. Further efforts from Hartson and Nathan Ellington were easily kept out by the impressive Tigers’ keeper Myhill.

The first twenty minutes were the best spell of attacking football produced by the Albion for quite some time, Hull looked simply shell shocked. Recently appointed City boss Phil Parkinson obviously felt a change was needed to stem the flow of Albion attacks so brought off ineffective winger Stuart Elliott for the more defensive minded Ryan France. Simply put the substitution worked perfectly.

Almost immediately Gera’s influence disappeared along with Albion’s dominance and the visitors should of took the lead on 25 minutes when Dean Marney headed Jon Parkin's flick-on past Curtis Davies, with only Zuberbuhler to beat, he dragged his eight yard shot well wide. Hull had taken the initiative and efforts from Damien Delaney and John Welsh both tested debutant Zuberbuhler, who just as he had against Real Sociedad last weekend, looked far from convincing.

Although the hosts were now struggling to impose themselves on the game, eight minutes before half-time they almost took the lead, John Hartson and Steve Watson both seeing close range shots blocked in a goalmouth scramble before Ronnie Wallwork fired wide when he should really of done better.

City started the second half how they had finished the first and almost went in front in the 48th minute when Sam Ricketts' cross was misjudged by Zuberbuhler. The ball rebounded off the inside of the Swiss keeper's near post straight into the path of Marney who looked certain to score only to be denied by a superb block by Baggies’ captain Davies.

Hull were now clearly on top and Darryl Duffy should have put the Humbersiders ahead in the 52nd minute but only managed to head over the bar from close range after Turner had nodded Craig Fagan's centre back across the face of goal.

City were made to pay for their poor finishing just five minutes later when against the run of play former Celtic striker Hartson opened his Albion scoring account with his 200th career goal. After turning Damien Delaney on the edge of the Hull box, Hartson ran onto Nigel Quashie's lofted through ball before coolly lobbing Myhill from 15 yards out. The Hawthorns erupted, perhaps more out of relief than anything else.

Within a minute of Albion taking the lead, the visitors should of equalised. A long goal kick from Myhill kick was misjudged by the otherwise excellent Davies, who slipped to leave Duffy one-on-one with Zuberbuhler. Luckily for Albion the City striker blazed wildly over from just inside the penalty area when really he should of done much better.

Gradually Albion started to get back into the game and although Hull had plenty of possession they rarely troubled the impressive partnership of Perry and Davies. What former Charlton man Perry lacks in size he more than makes up for it in quality and determination.

With just two minutes left on the clock the visitors were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when substitute Junichi Inamoto, who had only been on the pitch a minute, appeared to bring down City midfielder Welsh inside the the hosts' penalty area. Hull furiously appealed for a penalty, but luckily for Inamoto and Albion, referee Lee Probert waved away all appeals for a spot-kick. It was a decision that infuriated one Tigers’ fan to the extent of invading the pitch in an attempt to confront referee Probert. Luckily the moron was stopped by one of his team’s own players.

With Hull’s minds perhaps elsewhere after the penalty shout Albion grabbed a late second with a perfectly worked counter-attack, Hartson grabbing his second after good work from Ellington and Nigel Quashie.

The Hawthorns suddenly had a new hero. After suffering the hopeless Campbell, the disinterested Earnshaw and the supremely gifted but ineffective Kanu last season, Baggies’ fans finally have a striker that can lead the line, score goals and instill fear into opposition defences - long may it continue.

All in all it was a good day for Bryan Robson’s men, the performance during the first twenty minutes was easily the best spell of attacking football produced by an Albion team for over two years. If, and it is a big if, they can produce football like that on a consistent basis then Premiership here we come… again…

MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Perry

PLAYER RATINGS OUT OF TEN

Zuberbuhler 4 - Not the most convincing debut. Looked unsure with crosses into the box and was at the centre of a couple of defensive mix-ups. On the plus side his kicking was solid.
Watson 5 - Sloppy at times.
Robinson 6 - A typical Robinson display, solid and untroubled.
Davies 7 - Defended superbly as usual.
Perry 8 - Excellent debut, won most things on the ground and showed good distribution.
Wallwork 6 - An okay performance but not yet at his best.
Quashie 7 - Looked comfortable on the ball and worked hard.
Greening 5 - One or two nice touches but crossing continuingly let him down.
Gera 7 - Started brilliantly but faded as game went on.
Hartson 8 - Held the ball up well and took both goals superbly.
Ellington 6 - Caused the City defence problems, badly needs a goal though.

SUBS:
Carter 5 - Didn't get into the game.
Inamoto 5 - Not enough time to make a real impression but did almost concede a penalty at the end.
Albrechtsen 5 - Like Inamoto, not on long enough to make an impression.

REF WATCH

Lee Probert 7 - Kept the game flowing and was fair to both sides although angered the visitors after turning down late penalty appeal.

FAN WATCH

Albion 5 - First half loud and got behind the team but faded after half-time. Disappointing turn-out.
Hull City 6 - Good turnout and were loud at times but not as loud as expected.

"I was very pleased with that but the start to the second half wasn't very good. We scored against the run of play, although it was nice to get in front. But we should have been able to control the game better than we did with the experience and class of player we've got. I feel we were a bit lazy at the start of the second half and full credit to Hull for making it difficult for us right until the end.

"The second goal was a little bit unjust for them but as far as we're concerned, considering the pressure was on because we were at home, we played some real good stuff and it's the result that matters.

"I've seen the penalty incident on the video. The clash happened because Ina didn't see the player come round the back of him. When he went to hook the ball clear their legs got tangled. I've seen them given but I think we deserve a fair few penalty decisions to go our way for a change. Because of the way we played in the first half hour, I think it would have been unjust if we had not taken all three points.

(On debutant John Hartson) "I'm sure our fans are going to take to John. He leads the line well and is a clever footballer. Harts has got a lot more ability than people give him credit for.

"At this club, we've had a tradition of great strikers like Jeff Astle and Cyrille Regis. Hopefully, the Albion fans will see another real good centre-forward in John."