WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2 (Teixeira 30, Beattie 38)
BARNSLEY 0
BARNSLEY gave it a real go but in the end they just did not have enough to get something from a tough and keenly fought contest at The Hawthorns.
Reds manager Simon Davey made wholesale changes to his side following the midweek Carling Cup exit at Newcastle as he looked to erase the memory of last season's hammering at The Hawthorns. In came Anderson De Silva, Stephen Foster, Brian Howard, Andy Johnson, Kayode Odejayi and Istvan Ferenczi. Grant McCann, Sam Togwell, Martin Devaney, Dwayne Mattis, Miguel Mostto and Rohan Ricketts missed out.
The was no place in the side for new signing Jamal Campbell-Ryce, who joined the Reds at 11.00pm last night ahead of the transfer deadline.
The Baggies started purposefully with Zoltan Gera battling hard to give Kevin Phillips half a chance on five minutes but the striker dragged his shot well wide from 25 yards. A minute later Carl Hoefkens managed to get in behind Dominik Werling and cross low but Filipe Teixeira smashed the ball high over the goal when well placed.
A slip by Leon Barnett gave the Reds a great chance on eleven minutes as Odejayi raced onto Howard's pass but opted to shoot at goal with Ferenczi screaming for a pass which would have given the Hungarian a simple tap in. Odejayi's shot struck a defender and bounced through to Dean Kiely.
The Reds were a little slow to close down the danger on 13 minutes as Teixeira let fly but his low shot was easy for Heinz Muller.
Albion managed to get in behind the visitors for the first time on 18 minutes as James Morrison picked out the right pass to send Craig Beattie through but the striker could not find a finish and shot wide from ten yards.
Phillips then won a free kick under Foster's challenge on 21 minutes as the Baggies pushed again. This time Gera's effort was well over the bar. A minute later Morrison hammered the ball high above Muller's goal after finding space 25 yards out.
The Reds moved to shut out the Baggies midway through the half as they switched to a more defensive 4-5-1 with Odejayi moving out to the right hand side of midfield. It almost paid dividends on 28 minutes as Dennis Souza was an inch away from connecting with Howard's free kick.
A minute later Odejayi showed Paul Robinson a clean pair of heels down the right before crossing well but Barnett was in the right place to stop Ferenczi getting a decent touch to the ball.
West Brom were in front on the half hour when Teixeira took advantage of some hesitant defending to race past a couple of defenders before planting a low shot into the bottom corner.
De Silva showed a glimpse of his quality on 36 minutes as he took on a loose ball before driving at the West Brom defence. The Brazilian let fly from 25 yards and had Kiely scrambling but his shot drifted wide of the post.
The Reds were undone again on 38 minutes as a long ball from Teixeira beat Barnsley defence and after Souza missed his header, Beattie ran clean through to coolly beat Muller.
Beattie was an inch away from his second of the afternoon on 41 minutes as he took on Robinson's pass before hammering the ball just wide of the target from 25 yards.
Odejayi almost pulled one back on 44 minutes as he met De Silva's free kick but saw his goalbound header glace away off a defender. A minute later Werling lashed a volley over the bar.
West Brom almost grabbed a third in stoppage time as Morrison's shot struck Souza before hitting Phillips and striking the bar. The loose ball fell to Gera, who brought a fine save from Muller as he forced the big German to tip his effort onto the bar and over.
The Reds started the second half strongly with Howard pulling the strings in the middle of the park. The Reds leading goalscorer almost broke through on 49 minutes as he attacked the Baggies defence only to be tripped by Gera. The Hungarian was booked but Werling could not blast his free kick through the wall.
Gera almost grabbed a third for Albion on 56 minutes as he managed to get his head to Jonathan Greening's corner but he could not beat Muller from 12 yards. Beattie turned provider as he found a yard in behind Foster to cross on 64 minutes but Rob Kozluk was in the right place to stop Phillips from tapping in.
De Silva almost made a real game of it on 74 minutes as he brought an outstanding save from Kiely with a fierce shot from 18 yards after strong play down the right by Odejayi. McCann then fired a left footer just wide of the post a minute later as the Reds pushed forward.
At the other end Muller then showed his class on 76 minutes as he parried away Ishmael Miller's fiercely struck shot.
Substitute Chris Brunt almost netted on his Baggies debut as he let fly from 30 yards on 82 minutes but his volley just dipped over the bar. Brunt then did well to send Phillips in on 89 minutes but the striker could not drag his shot into the far corner after stealing a yard on Souza.
Greening had Albion's best moment of the second half deep in stoppage time as he let fly from 25 yards and beat Muller but his effort cannoned away off the bar.
There was still time for McCann to flash a free kick over the bar as the Reds looked for a goal their display deserved.
WEST BROM: Kiely, Hoefkens, Robinson, Barnett, Greening, Beattie (Miller 65), Gera, Albrechtsen, Tiexeira (Chaplow 79), Phillips, Morrison (Brunt 65).
Subs: Clement, Slusarski.
BARNSLEY: Muller, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Johnson (McCann 60), Odejayi, Howard, Ferenczi (Ricketts 50), De Silva, Foster, Souza, Werling (Christensen 80).
Subs: Colgan, Mostto.
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