West Bromwich Albion v Scunthorpe United
The Hawthorns
Coca-Cola Championship - Tuesday, February 9, 2010

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FULL-TIME

WBA 2 Scunthorpe United 0

I guess that you'll all look at the score, and not be entirely surprised. I don't think United were expected to get anything here (anything they had have would've been a bonus really), and they haven't. But they haven't played badly at all. And I know performances don't equal points, but hey-ho, I'd feel worse they lost and played really poorly. The only thing that's really dissapointing is the fact that that's another sending-off. Scunthorpe really cannot afford to keep getting players dismissed week after week.

SECOND-HALF

88 Minutes: This one's over now, but Joe Murphy still manages to make a fine save when Simon Cox peels off his man and slams a shot a goal from about seven-yards out.

86 Minutes: Sending off! It goes from bad to worse. Byrne's off. As the last man, he brings someone down, and although there was no malice in his challenge, by the letter of the law, has to go.

85 Minutes: Goal! Zuiverloon's played in, and after beating Murphy to the ball, has the simple task of slotting it home. The roof comes off the Hawthorns!

WBA 2 Scunthorpe United 0

83 Minutes: The ball just falls wrongly for Gary Hooper. Surely there will be one more chance for the Iron towards and before the end of this one?

81 Minutes: Sam Togwell trundles off, offering Grant McCann, his replacement, his best wishes as he crosses the touchline. Gianni Zuiverloon comes on for West Brom's Chris Brunt, who is on a booking.

76 Minutes: Andy Slory comes on for Nouble. United are urged to attack by their fans. They have nothing to lose in all fairness.

74 Minutes: Chris Brunt mis-ques a clearence, gifting United a corner. It's spun in towards Mirfin's head by O'Connor, but he doesn't quite manage to connect. Martyn Woolford retains it at the other side of the box, and drills it in once more. Rob Jones throws a leg at it, but his connection sends it up and over.

68 Minutes: It would be unfair to say that the Baggies haven't moved into the ascendancy, but as long as it stays at 1-0 United aren't out of this entirely. Joe Murphy is giving a great account of himself to his former employers.

67 Minutes: Chris Brunt fires wide from close-range. "What the something something was that?" chant the Scunthorpe fans. Simon Cox comes on for Robert Koren.

64 Minutes: Well, what do I know?! As soon as I tell you of my admiration for McDermott, Nigel Adkins withdraws him. Martyn Woolford enters the fray.

63 Minutes: Donal McDermott looks dangerous on the ball, he's got a very good touch actually, and in this latest passage of play, glides around his man before sliding the ball into Gary Hooper. Hooper manages to spin, and send a semi-dangerous shot at goal, which Carson watches over the crossbar.

57 Minutes: Graham Dorrans bounds out of midfield, banking to the left-side of the pitch, and taking the United defence with him. That leaves Chris Brunt free in the middle, so when Dorrans squares it to him, he has a seemingly easy task ahead of him - score. Joe Murphy has other ideas. Fantastic save.

55 Minutes: Donal McDermott takes the ball in advanced territory down the flank, and has options arriving in the middle. He tries to get a cross in, but under pressure from Albion defenders, scuffs it out of play.

49 Minutes: It makes a nice change, but United are getting many decisions going their way tonight. The ball was just sparyed across to Brunt - who took it down - but was then blown up for a foul (handball). Bare in mind however, this was after Byrne had appealed to the referee!

45 Minutes: West Brom attack in the first movement upfield by either team after Scunthorpe get the ball rolling again.

HALF-TIME

WBA 1 Scunthorpe United 0

All things considered, I'm not unimpressed by this performance. I think you will all, like me, have feared the worst when West Brom scored at such an early stage. Yet to their credit, United have shown resilience. In actual fact, they've been on top for sizeable parts of this first-half, and could be level, had they had a little luck. Right, I'm off inside to get a coffee or something now, as it's pretty chilly! Plus, there's a series of adverts playing over the big screen which I loathe watching, such as 'get money for your gold'.

ATT: 23,146 (away approx. 250)

FIRST-HALF

45 Minutes: A foul throw by Jara is surely one of the last pieces of action from this half!? It seems to have gone on for a long while! Jara argues, but it was a foul. Oh, and now the officials indicate there will be two minutes added.

42 Minutes: After a surge forwards from the Iron, Michael O'Connor finds himself with the ball in the area. He looks to turn on it, but is tackled legitimately at the last moment.

40 Minutes: A second West Brom goal is narrowly avoided when Chris Brunt cuts inside from the wing and hits a well-placed shot at goal, which somehow (by luck more than anything I think) hits Rob Jones and bobbles away from the danger area.

36 Minuted: Decent build-up play from United ends with Josh Wright slipping the ball to Donal McDermott. It actually sets up really nicely for him to whack at goal, even if he does have to weave his shot through two defenders; but his effort goes over.

33 Minutes: I have to say, United are doing well at the moment. They've kept the ball in the West Brom half for an extended period just lately. On balance though, I'm not convinced by some of the long balls they're pumping forwards - I don't think they're a means to an end really.

28 Minutes: We've seen some better stuff from United in the last few moments. Gary Hooper's running has troubled the home defence of late, and Matty Sparrow just nailed a left-footed volley at goal, which had Carson well beaten. Just a shame it beat the post too..!

25 Minutes: United are forced into a change then, but it's a straight one, and the tactics will remain the same - Morris on for Moloney.

23 Minutes: Brendan Moloney is down and receiving treatment after going falling heavily under Chris Brunt tackle (Brunt is booked for his efforts). Alex Dalton soon has him on his feet, but it looks like United could be forced into an early swap.

21 Minutes: Encouragingly, Scunthorpe win a corner, which is greeted with silence from the home crowd. Cliff Byrne gets a head on it, but he can only direct it upwards.

18 Minutes: Buoyed by their goal, West Brom continue to probe. Gabriel Tamas is the latest player from their side to have a shot, albeit from a pretty silly position (thirty-five yards)... It goes wide.

15 Minutes: Goal! It takes West Brom, a team of sheer class, fifteen minutes to edge their way ahead. I really hope United don't crumble now. The goal is scored by Bednar who fires high into the net at the near post after the ball is rolled into him from wide.

WBA 1 Scunthorpe United 0

13 Minutes: A shot from Nouble is parried away by Joe Murphy. United have played with spirit thus-far tonight, but that was poor closing down, and the corner that WBA have gained could have been avoided.

9 Minutes: Debutant Frank Nouble gets in-behind the Iron defence down the left wing for the Baggies, before picking out Roman Bednar in the box - but the highly-rated striker can only manage to fire the ball over when he should have converted.

6 Minutes: Scunthorpe flow upfield with Donal McDermott. He soon cleverly switches play from left to right, allowing Sam Togwell to have a crack at goal, which goes just over. That could've been 1-0 to Scunny in all honesty.

3 Minutes: The maiden passes of the game are exchanged between West Brom players. Within seconds of the game starting Roman Bednar has to be stripped of the ball in the box by Rob Jones, and only a matter of minutes later Gonzalo Jara sends a deep, searching cross into the box which ultimately drifts out of play.

1 Minute: WBA get things going. They're wearing dark blue and white; United are wearing their light blue away kit.

BUILD UP

19:45: A nice gesture goes the way of Scunny goalie Joe Murphy, who used to play for our hosts. He's "welcomed back" to the Hawthorns in the words of the stadium announcer; and via an affectionate round of applause from the home faithful.

19:42: Albion are operating a 'kids for a quid' deal tonight, but it doesn't seem to have brought the next generation of Baggies fans out in their droves - the ground is some way short of being full, with only seconds to go until kick-off.

19:36: Welcome to the very impressive location of the Hawthorns, venue of tonight's game between United and West Bromwich Albion. So far, the whole West Bromwich experience has been a very pleasurable one. The press area here is fantastic - mainly as it's very modern, and there's no poles located in the way of my seat to obstruct my view of the pitch! In fact, it's very reminiscent of the Wembley press facilities. Plus, the food is delightful.

TEAM NEWS

Last time they were here, at the Hawthrons, Scunthorpe United were stung early on by the dismissal of Marcus Williams, and went on to lose 5-0. He won't be involved tonight, as he serves the suspension which he concurred against Crystal Palace on Saturday and is replaced by Brendan Moloney in defence. United make three other changes too, with Hayes and McCann dropping to the bench. Garry Thompson misses out on a place in the squad altogether due to injury. Matt Sparrow, Michael O'Connor and Josh Wright are drafted into the eleven at the in place of the aforementioned trio.

WBA: Carson (c), Mattock, Olsson, Koren, Bednar, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Tamas, Jara, Nouble. SUBS: Kieley, Moore, Zuiverloon, Meite, Slory, Cox, Thorne.

SCUN: Murphy, Togwell, Byrne, Sparrow, Hooper, Jones, Mirfin, O'Connor, Wright, McDermott, Moloney. SUBS: Lilis, McCann, Hayes, Forte, Woolford, Morris, Raynes

REF: Mr. K. Wright.

PREAMBLE

When I glanced at the fixture list earlier today, I was duly informed that Scunthorpe United haven't lost an away game in 2010. That's some achievement, in all fairness, and I think that the players deserve every morsel of credit that they get for attaining that record. On the subject of today's game, however, it's certainly one of the trickier ones on the Championship calender. Keep eleven hungry and eager players on the pitch though, and United may well be competitive and in with a shout - you might not realise that in each of their last three league defeats, they've had a player dismissed.