Controversial penalty sinks Swans
GRAHAM Dorrans' second-half penalty and Ishmael Miller's late strike helped West Brom keep the heat on leaders Newcastle and put further daylight between themselves and third-placed Nottingham Forest with a win at Swansea City.
Scotland midfielder Dorrans crashed home from the 12-yard mark after Angel Rangel's debatable foul on Giles Barnes 11 minutes from the end, to liven up what had been a dour affair, before Miller finished things off.
Both sides spent most of the game exchanging neat passing moves, all of which were without any genuine outcome, so it was fitting that the deadlock was broken by a set-piece.
That paved the way for Dorrans to create a clincher for Miller as the Baggies moved eight points clear of Forest.
After a disappointing draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, Swansea boss Paulo Sousa made four changes to his starting line-up and it was one of the new faces, captain Garry Monk, who spurned the first chance when he glanced a header wide from a free-kick.
Nathan Dyer, another to return to the fray, then curled an effort just wide from the edge of the area as Swansea pressed.
Mark Gower rattled a drive away from goal for the Swans as they continued to probe, but despite both sides impressing in possession, the fact that they were both playing with five midfielders made genuine chances hard to come by.
That was a point further illustrated just before the break when Rangel barely worked Scott Carson, his strike just the fifth of the opening half.
Baggies striker Luke Moore registered his side's first shot minutes into the second half and forced a smart, low save from Dorus de Dries, but the lack of opportunities being created by either side was almost painful to witness.
Swansea's Alan Tate attempted to liven things up with a speculative strike from 25 yards that did little to worry Carson, while the former England stopper was also on hand to field Dyer's hit.
West Brom began to gradually wake up, though, and Gabriel Tamas flicked a header wide as a statement of their intent.
It served as notice for their goal, too, with Dorrans slamming home from the spot.
The home side questioned referee Roger East's decision to award the kick after Rangel and Barnes came together in the box, but it mattered little to Dorrans as he tucked away his 15th goal of the season.
Rather than reignite Swansea's interest in the game, the goal initially served to fire West Brom, for whom Barnes went close from outside the box, before Miller coolly finished with a minute to go after being played in by the impressive Dorrans.
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by superbobsdad, KIDWELLY
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 8:03PM
“I to am an albion fan born in brum moved to wales 30 odd years ago.
watch swansea as my local team with friends...
I watched with the albion fans behind the goal where the penalty was given. barnes played the ball forward and rangel put his leg across for barnes to fall over..
penalty given!
I to had problems with fans on the way back to the car park with my ten year old son..
Lets not turn into cardiff style idiots folks....
hurl insults during the game but respect afterwards please”
by Dave, Edmonton
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 6:48PM
“Why doesn,t Sousa give Trundle more playing time you can,t expect a man to be on top of his game when he only plays now and again. When he plays he works hard which is more than i can say for some of the others”
by swanseabaggie, swansea
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 6:34PM
“I'm an Albion fan. I was born there and first went to the Hawthorns at 7 with my dad who was an exiled-red from Liverpool.
However I've now lived and worked here in Swansea for 25 years and I love living here, wonderful place - fantastic people..
My wife and daughter are Swans, as will my son be when he's old enough. We've had season tickets in the past, we've stood on the North Bank with about 5,000 in the entire ground, marched against Petty, and have followed the Swans around the country. I love Swansea City, although they remain my second team.
So you can imagine my ambiguity last night. I could not celebrate the penalty (it never was!), nor the Baggies winning.
I can understand the frustration of the fans (amongst whom I am proud to regularly count myself) last night. What I can't understand is the clown who smacked my brother as we were walking around to pick up two Swans fans who live near me to take them home, shouting "Cheat".
Last night's result was a robbery, but my main feeling is of anger at one idiot's reaction to a disputed penalty.”
by tip top, swansea
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 3:38PM
“West Brom cheating! thats a little extreme! why do we have this culture at Swansea where everything is someone elses fault! West Brom took th emick in terms of time wasting, but thats no different to our playing wasting time going aimlessly across the pitch, which in spome cases at 2-nil down with 5 mins to go is more offensive! No wonder the ground was 2/3 empty with ten mins left on teh clock! A sad indictment on our ability to score, and little to do with West Broms alledged 'cheating'. Well Done west brom I say, and good luck for the rest of the season! Try being dignified in defeat as well as victory!”
by Cwmdare, Cwmdare
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 12:10PM
“Colin Hughes, Blackpill
Can't you be gracious in defeat and not call WBA a cheating team?
I though that they were a hard working side and out of the two teams deserved the points more than us
Have a look at that penalty again and there was absolutely no need for Rangel to stick out his leg, but to make matters worst (and this is what the referee most probably saw) he tried to pull it back quickly when he realised what he had done.
I'm pretty sure if that penalty decision was on the other foot and it was one of our players brought down in the box like Barnes was last night. You would be shouting like most of the others last night, for a penalty to be given to the Swans
Unfortunately, this is the way football is going, in that players go to looking for such penalties in the box and wasn¿t it what we saw so many times with Gomez last season doing exactly the same
As the saying goes ¿What goes around, comes around¿”