Baggies Beat The Drop

[Woozie]

West Brom defeated Portsmouth to dramatically secure their Premiership status on the final day of the season.
Bryan Robson's team were the only side in the bottom four to win and finish one point clear the relegation zone.

Geoff Horsfield scored with a superb volley just after coming on as a second-half substitute that sent the Hawthorns wild with celebration.

Kieran Richardson latched onto a backheel from Horsfield to put the home team two goals ahead and secure safety.

But at the time of Richardson's strike celebrations were relatively muted.

News had filtered round the Hawthorns that Crystal Palace had taken a 2-1 lead at Charlton through an Andy Johnson penalty.

But Jonathan Fortune's 82nd-minute equaliser for Addicks - and defeats for Norwich and Southampton - ensured West Brom, who started the day in bottom place, will play top-flight football next season.

The Baggies survival is a personal triumph for manager Bryan Robson, who becomes the first boss in Premiership history to steer a team in bottom place at Christmas to safety.

It was an afternoon of drama and tension at the Hawthorns, with emotions ebbing and flowing as scores from the other games were received on radios and mobile phones.


Roared on by a packed, passionate Hawthorns, West Brom started at a blistering pace and should have scored after just six minutes.

Richardson burst down the right-hand side and played Robert Earnshaw through but the Wales international shot wide form 12 yards.

But Pompey have improved since Alan Perrin took over and the visitors soon created chances of their own.

Gary O'Neil, unmarked at the far post, should have done better with a volley but shot wide, as did Ricardo Fuller after 16 minutes with a strike from 12 yards.

Kevin Campbell threatened for the Baggies, stinging Jamie Ashdown's fingers with a shot from an acute angle, while Aliou Cisse drove wide for Pompey from 25 yards.

But the half finished goalless, with the situation in the other games at the break meaning a goal would be enough to move West Brom out of the relegation zone.

The Baggies emerged for the second-half with the theme tune to The Great Escape booming around the ground.

Pompey, though, were the next to threaten, Kamara rising higher than Martin Albrechtsen but heading wide of Tomasz Kuszczak's goal.

The Hawthorns erupted when Horsfield beat Ashdown with a volley on the turn just minutes after arriving as a substitute.

Dejan Stefanovic could only deflect a Zoltan Gera cross and Horsfield struck at the far post.

Richardson doubled the Baggies' lead, collecting Horsfield's backheel and drilling the ball past Ashdown from 10 yards.

And a massive roar around the ground shortly afterwards indicated Charlton had made it 2-2 against Palace.

The final whistle saw a nervous wait but the news of the other results eventually reached the Hawthorns and the celebrations started.