WEST BROM 7 (Phillips 23, 53, 71; Ellington 26 P, 36; Koren 40, Gera 76)
BARNSLEY 0
BARNSLEY ended a successful Championship season in embarrassment as west Brom ran riot at the Hawthorns.
Reds boss Simon Davey made a host of changes to the side that slipped to defeat against Leicester City last time out as he brought the curtain down on a successful Championship season. Out went Antony Kay, Paul Reid, Nick Colgan and Paul Heckingbottom with David Lucas, Rob Atkinson, Bobby Hassell and Luke Potter coming into the side.
The Reds were almost behind inside the first 30 seconds as Richard Chaplow picked a fine pass through the heart of the Barnsley defence to send Nathan Ellington in on goal but the striker was denied by Atkinson's fine block.
Albion went close again on five minutes as Robert Koren took advantage of some hesitant defending to get a shot away but his effort flew wide of Lucas' post. Chaplow then got in on goal two minutes later as he turned onto Jonathan Greening's pass but hit his shot against Atkinson.
Lucas had to be at his very best on eight minutes as he somehow managed to claw Sam Sodje's point blank header away from Jason Koumas' corner.
West Brom went close again on nine minutes as Kevin Phillips managed to get away down the right before digging out a cross but Ellington could not get his header on target at the back post.
Phillips tenacity then drew a foul from Sam Togwell on eleven minutes. Koumas smashed the free kick high over the bar from 25 yards.
The Reds finally broke into the Albion area on17 minutes as stand in skipper Brian Howard sent over a fine cross that the home side did well to clear before Atkinson and Istvan Ferenczi could pounce. Atkinson then had to make a vital goal-saving clearance at the other end to turn Koumas' cross away from Ellington.
Albion's goal finally came on 23 minutes as Paul McShane's cross caused all sorts of problems after bouncing loose of Hassell in the area. Phillips was in the right place to turn the ball past Lucas from six yards.
The Reds day suddenly got worse on 26 minutes as Koren forced Potter into a clumsy challenge in the area. Koren hit the deck giving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Ellington made no mistake beating Lucas from 12 yards.
Koren brought a save from Lucas on 27 minutes with a well driven shot from 25 yards as the Baggies looked to wrap the game up before half time.
The Reds rallied and Kyel Reid's cross almost gave Daniel Nardiello a chance at the back post but McShane was in the right place to turn the ball away. From Martin Devaney's corner Hassell brought a decent stop from Dean Kiely with a header. Howard's frustration boiled over on the half hour as his lunging tackle on Chaplow earned the midfielder a booking.
Nardiello thought he had pulled one back on 31 minutes as he fired a shot in on goal which struck Chris Perry but the ball dropped inches over the bar with Kiely well beaten.
Barnsley's defensive inexperience was shown again on 36 minutes as Kiely's kick went straight through to Ellington, who managed to beat Hassell before slotting the ball under Lucas for his second of the afternoon.
A bad first half got even worse on 40 minutes as Greening was given all the time in the world to pick out a cross from the left and the former Middlesbrough man found Koren in the middle, who beat Lucas with a cheeky flick.
Ferenczi should have really pulled one back in stoppage time as he ran onto Howard's pass but could not beat Kiely from 18 yards.
West Brom started the second half in the same vein with Koumas feeding Paul Robinson on 46 minutes. The full back fired in on goal from 30 yards and was just an inch away from adding a spectacular fifth.
At the other end Ferenczi saw a shot deflect wide of the target on 50 minutes although the referee brought play back for a foul on Nardiello. Howard smashed the free kick into the wall.
West Brom broke quickly and Koumas brought a fine save from Lucas on 51 minutes before Koren showed great awareness to get his shot away seconds later but his effort cannoned away off the post.
Albion stepped up the pace and got their rewards on 53 minutes later as Phillips was given far too much time and space on the edge of the area. Lucas had no chance as Phillips' shot flew past him and into the back of the net
Nardiello went close with a free kick on 57 minutes after Howard had been tripped on the edge of the area by Chaplow. Nardiello really should have done better on 66 minutes as he raced onto Peter Rajczi's pass but shot straight at Keily with only the keeper to beat.
Albion made it six on 71 minutes as Zoltan Gera robbed Nardiello deep in the Reds half before finding a great cross to give Phillops a hat trick. The West Brom striker made no mistake from 12 yards.
It was seven on 75 minutes as again the Reds defence went walkabout to let Sherjill MacDonald in down the left. The youngster took his time and played the ball straight across goal to give Gera a tap in from six yards.
A mistake by Potter and Grant McCann gave Koren the chance to cap a fine performance with another goal on 81 minutes as he raced in on goal but the winger could not find a way past Lucas.
Gera twice went close in the space of 60 seconds as he brought a fine save from Lucas before seeing a goalbound header cleared off the line by Austin from Greening's resulting corner.
Barnsley finally looked threatening on 88 minutes as Kyel Reid crossed well to give McCann a chance but the midfielder saw his fine header turned away by Kiely.
WEST BROM: Keily, Robinson, Perry, Greening, Ellington (MacDonald 62), Chaplow, Koren, Koumas (Gera 54), McShane (Hodgkiss 45), Phillips, Sodje.
Subs: Albrechtsen, Daniels.
BARNSLEY: Lucas, Atkinson, Howard, Hassell, Togwell (Heslop 63), Nardiello, Austin, Ferenczi (Rajczi 56), K. Reid, Devaney (McCann 56), Potter.
Subs: Colgan, Heckingbottom.
|
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST TICKET INFORMATION FROM OAKWELL!!! MAIN MATCH SPONSORSHIP AT OAKWELL GET THE BIGGEST NEWS DIRECT TO YOUR MOBILE ©www.barnsleyfc.co.uk 2006 RNK |
