By Stuart Kidson
October 25 2003

Birthday boy Hulse hits goals 9 and 10 to send the Baggies back to the top spot in the Nationwide First Division and erase the memories of Tuesday nights debacle against Wimbledon. Rotherham United (0) v West Bromwich Albion (3)
Millmoor, Saturday 25th October 2003

Albion travelled to South Yorkshire for the fixture against Ronnie Moore's hard working Rotherham, hoping to erase he memories of Tuesday nights debacle against bottom side Wimbledon. Manager Gary Megson was quoted in local newspapers this week as saying he would feel no compunction in dropping players who were not performing to their best abilities and that the club will be looking for a new forward following the teams disastrous performance.

Andy Johnson was available for selection following his three match ban for his red card against Stoke City and took his place in the team at the expense of Ronnie Wallwork. Scott Dobie and Lee Hughes swapped places with the Scottish international going to the bench whilst the Ginger Ninja started.

Albion were under pressure from the start and began the game firmly pegged back in their own half as Rotherham took the game by the scruff of the neck and went looking for an early goal. Jason Koumas was ordered off the pitch in the opening minutes to change his white cycling shorts as they did not match the blue shorts being used by the Baggies and female fans of both sides were treated to the sight of the Welsh Wizard in his underpants.

Rotherham kept Albion under constant pressure thanks largely to the long throw ins of Shaun Barker but the standard of football was not of the highest order and Sean Gregan and Thomas Gaardsoe were more than equal to the task. Gaardsoe gave away a free kick just outside the area early on and this was the first real test for Russell Hoult, but the effort from Paul Warne was saved superbly by the diving keeper.

On the odd occasion that the Albion did threaten it looked likely that Hulse and Hughes were on a mission to prove the Manager wrong with his statement in Birmingham local papers, but it was Koumas who created himself the first chance for the Baggies when he found space just outside the box and tried to cheekily chip Mike Pollit in the Rotherham goal.

It took 19 minutes for the Albion to finally settle into the game and it was Hughes who broke through and sent over a cross for Rob Hulse, who had run to the near post but Martin McIntosh was on hand to clear for the home side. Albion were finally beginning to stamp their authority on the game and Hulse, who was celebrating his birthday, almost gave the visitors the lead. Koumas curled the ball across and Hulse, who was allowed space by the Rotherham defenders, attempted a diving header which went agonisingly wide of the upright.

Gaardsoe then came close after rising above the pack to steer a Koumas corner just over the crossbar in front of the 3,000 strong Barmy Army. Hughes and Hulse then combined again when the former Crewe forward lost his man and set up Hughes. Unfortunately Hughes's header failed to hit the target.

Albion almost took the lead on the half hour when Gaardsoe again was highest to jump and headed towards goal. The ball however looked to be going out for a goal kick but Hughes was on hand to produce a fine reaction header. The ball looked certain to cross the line after beating a diving Pollit, but Chris Sedgwick had positioned himself at the near post and the ball was blocked on the line and cleared.

Albion broke the deadlock 9 minutes later when Bernt Haas drilled a low cross across the box. Huse made an attempt to flick the ball over the line but directed it towards a back tracking Barker who poked the ball into his own net. The action then switched to the Tivoli End as Barker tried to make amends for his error when he headed down a John Mullin corner for Stewart Talbot but the shot went wide of the goal.

Rotherham came out for the second half with the determination they had displayed in the first but Albion were now on the up and it was 4 minutes into the half when Hulse ran onto an Andy Johnson through ball and struck a right footed shot past a despairing Pollit to double the lead for the Baggies and end his own personal four week drought in front of goal.

The home side looked shaken at the goal but this did not stop them trying to salvage something from the game. McIntosh tried his luck from all of 35 yards but the ball was always going wide of the mark. Albion now looked to be in control of the game but the home side were not detered and again threatened to grab something. Swailes tried his luck and Hoult had to react well to the header as it bounced up just in front of him.

Albion secured the three points and effectively killed the game when 25 minutes from time, Koumas picked out Hulse with a wonderful long range pass. Hulse raced ahead of the nearest marker and bore down on goal before unleashing a well struck left footed shot that nestled in the back of the net.

Darren Byfield was always going to be the biggest threat, but he had been kept very quiet by both Gregan and Gaardsoe all afternoon. Byfield had been on the end of some fierce stick from the visiting fans all afternoon, being booed every time he had touched the ball due to his Walsall and Villa connections, and he tried to silence his critics in the Railway Terrace with a dazzling display of footwork in the area. Gregan and Gaardsoe were having none of it and a hard tackle by both players saw Byfield left in a heap on the ground. That was the end of the game for Byfield who was forced to retire from the game with the assistance of two Rotherham coaches.

Koumas over exerted himself late in the game and had to be replaced by Megson with fans favourite Artim Sakiri. Hamstring problems were blamed for Koumas's departure but the game had been won by this time and Megson was merely protecting the jewel in the Albion crown.

Albion had never looked like they were going to be troubled by Rotherham and had repaid some of the debt from the Wimbledon game earleir in the week. Albion fans began to celebrate with the now traditional 'Boing Boing' as news filtered through that Walsall had beaten Wigan 2 - 0 and the Baggies were again top of the pile.

Man of the Match was selected by Jake Kidson of Smethwick and he gave the award to - Lee Hughes

Teams:

BAGGIES: Hoult, Gregan, Gaardsoe, Gilchrist, Haas, O'Connor, Robinson, Johnson, Koumas, Hulse, Hughes

Subs: Murphy, Sakiri, Dobie, Wallwork, Clement

MILLERS: Pollit, S. Barker, Swailes, McIntosh, Minto, Sedgewick, Mullin, Talbot, Warne, Byfield, R. Barker

Subs: Montgomery, Robins, Hurst, Monkhouse