By Stuart Kidson
December 21 2003

WASTED CHANCES, SLOPPY PASSING AND A LATE GOAL. All these factors contributed to the Albion losing their unbeaten record in 9 games. A lack lustre performance by the Baggies handed the Sky Blues their first back to back win of the season. On a more positive note my video card is working. Coventry City (1) v West Bromwich Albion (0)
Highfield Road, Saturday 20th December 2003
Nationwide League Division One

A late goal by the home side ended the Baggies run of 9 away games undefeated this afternoon at a dark and cold Highfield Road. New boy Geoff Horsfield made his debut for the away side, with Jason Koumas returning to midfield and Ronnie Wallwork retaining his place in the team. Andy Johnson was missing from the side, unable to shake off the injury he picked up against Arsenal on Tuesday evening.

The weather before the game, as the coaches left the Hawthorns for the short trip down the M6, was appalling with rain pouring from the heavens and a fresh breeze making the temperature drop a few more degrees. This had made the surface of the pitch at the Sky Blues ground greasy and in the opening minutes of the game both sides struggled to make any in roads to the opponents defence.

Horsfield made an early impression on Callum Davenport with a crunching tackle inside a minute which saw a free kick for the home side. It was the Baggies who carved out the first real effort of the game when Davenport was unable to clear a cross from the left. Rob Hulse was able to steady himself for the shot but his effort was too high and sailed just over the crossbar. Hulse was allowed a second bite at the cherry minutes later when a Paul Robinson cross found him unmarked in the box but his header was again too high and went the same way as his shot.

The majority of the play up until this period had been in Albion's favour as the directed the nature of the game in the opening 15 minutes. Coventry made just one attempt on Russell Hoult's goal when ex Liverpool and Villa defender Steve Staunton let fly with a 30 yard shot which went flying out for a goal kick.

Coventry then started to play some nice football across the middle of the park and began to push the visitors back inch by inch. Albion, despite starting brighter, were now beginning to allow the home side space and time on the ball. After Tuesday nights disastrous back pass that lead to the Gunners second goal, many Baggies fans hearts were in their mouths when Hoult was almost caught again in similar circumstances. Robinson passed back to the shot stopper but Julian Joachim raced towards the keeper who was forced into making an uncomfortable clearance.

Coventry were now the dominant side as they found their feet on the slippery surface and Robinson gave away a free kick in a dangerous position but the home side wasted the chance to make the kick count.

James O'Connor was the recipient of a Jason Koumas through ball and the ex under 21 Irish international raced towards goal only for Davenport to make a terrific tackle and deny the midfielder a real chance on goal.

Horsfield could have become an instant hero to the 4,000 travelling fans when City keeper Gavin Ward tried to clear a back pass. The ex Blues hit man raced in but Ward composed himself and cleared the ball in the nick of time. Coventry were now pressing the Baggies and they had a penalty claim turned down by referee Mr. Neale Barry after Stephen Warnock's shot appeared to strike skipper Sean Gregan's arm. Mr. Barry waved away the claims and awarded a corner instead.

Albion's midfield were being pushed into playing a deeper role than usual but Hulse and Horsfield combined to produce another chance for the visitors when Hulse won a challenge inside the Sky Blues area. He flicked the ball forward to Horsfield but his effort was stopped by the knee of Ward.

Robinson sent over a cross from the left as the game approached the half hour mark, but the new Baggies striker could only stab out at the ball and watch as his effort from a very acute angle looped upwards and over the bar. Coventry fans were up in arms again minutes later when they felt that Youssef Safri had been tripped in the box but Mr. Neale thought otherwise and booked the Moroccan international for diving.

Veteran defender Staunton again tried another long range effort 10 minutes from the break but the shot did nothing to trouble Hoult. Horsfield and Koumas could have opened the scoring following Staunton's effort when Hoult found Koumas with a long throw. The Wrexham born midfielder raced along the right and sent a low cross into the area which Horsfield managed to flick towards goal with the outside of his left foot but Ward was on hand to scoop the ball up and prevent him opening his Baggies goal account.

Joachim then had the home sides best chance of the match to open the scoring when he capitalised on mistakes by Thomas Gaardsoe and Joost Volmer inside the 6 yard box. The ball somehow managed to squeeze through the two defenders to find Joachim with space but he pulled his shot across the face of goal and just wide of the upright.

Albion's response came from O'Connor but he was again denied by Davenport who blocked his shot following a Koumas free kick. Hulse finished the half off for the Baggies with yet another wasted chance when his shot was parried by Ward.

The home side looked hungrier for the win as the second half started and Joachim again could have opened the scoring after just 6 minutes play but his right footed shot went high over the bar. The Baggies were looking tired and making hard work of even the simplest jobs with passes going astray.

More sloppy defending by the Baggies allowed Joachim to bear down on goal but he was ruled offside to the relief of the Baggies defenders. It took almost 15 minutes before the Albion produced anything like a decent chance. Koumas pulled the ball back for Bernt Haas who let fly with a right footed shot which ward did well to tip over the bar.

Hulse was doing little up front for the Baggies and Gary Megson decided he had to make changes on 62 minutes when he sent on Scott Dobie for the former Crewe striker. More passes were being wasted in midfield and the pressure was starting to tell as Coventry continued to be the stronger team, but like their visitors, the home side were becoming increasingly frustrated at the amount of wasted opportunities.

With 25 minutes remaining Megson reshuffled his back three by introducing Darren Moore for Wallwork and pushing Gregan up into midfield in the hope of stabilising the middle of the park. Dobie took two attempts to get a cross into the area but a mix up between Haas and O'Connor saw the former Stoke players header loop over the bar.

Koumas was not having the best of games but on 73 minutes he skipped his way around his marker and was bought down some 30 yards from goal, well within his range. His free kick looked like it was going in but too much pace on the ball took it just wide of the far upright.

Coventry fans were very quiet throughout the game, with the exception of those in the lower tier of West Terrace, and they seemed to becoming as frustrated as the Baggies travelling support with the number of wasted chances. The game was looking likely to end up as a goalless stalemate as neither side could find a killer ball in the final third of the pitch.

Albion were doing all they could to help the home side with sloppy passing and a lack of conviction in their game. As the game entered its final 2 minutes stand in manager Eric Black decided to give loanee Johnnie Jackson his final appearance in a Sky Blue shirt before he reported back to White Hart Lane on Monday morning. His first touch was to loop a shot high over Hoult and into the back of the net in front of the West Terrace faithful, which stunned the Baggies. The home crowd finally woke up and the famous Eton Boating Song rang out around Highfield Road.

The Baggies got out of the game exactly what they put in, absolutely nothing but it was far from being a polished performance by the home side. Despite dominating the middle of the park Coventry were as guilty as the Baggies for wasting chances.

The baggiesworld Man of the Match has been suspended for this game as no-one stood out enough to earn the title.

Teams
Coventry: Ward, Whing, Konjic, Davenport, Staunton, Doyle, Safri, Mansouri, Warnock, Joachim, Morrell

Subs: Shearer, Shaw, Suffo, Adebola, Jackson

Baggies: Hoult, Gregan, Gaardsoe, Volmer, Haas, Wallwork, O'Connor, Koumas, Robinson, Horsfield, Hulse

Subs: Murphy, Clement, Moore, Dobie, Sakiri