Bristol City 0 West Brom 1: Sunday Mercury Big Match Verdict

Jul 31 2011 by Chris Lepkowski, Sunday Mercury

CRAIG Dawson scored his first goal in Albion colours to give Roy Hodgson’s men a victory at Ashton Gate.

While all eyes were on Albion’s new goalkeeper Ben Foster, it took a late goal from rookie defender Craig Dawson to ensure the win for the visitors.

Albion’s performance answered some of the questions – not least who will take to the field when they entertain Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

Foster in goal certainly, with the rest of the team also having an ominous look about it. Peter Odemwingie, making his first pre-season start on English soil, was up front, with the rest of the team looking familiar.

Gabriel Tamas and Somen Tchoyi perhaps the two who had most to lose at Ashton Gate, with the centre-half position and an advanced midfield role up for grabs – though Tchoyi was effectively playing as a striker for most of the game.

Chris Brunt and Odemwingie were to go closest for Albion, while Tchoyi was guilty of two poor misses. It took centre-half Dawson to deliver the killer blow, scoring with a header in the 88th minute.

Foster had little to do overall but did well to twice deny Maynard.

Hodgson was pleased with his side’s performance and intensity.

“It was a great workout, a good game of football,” said the Albion boss. “We should have taken our chances but Bristol City had some good chances so it was unusual it only finished one nil.

“But at this stage of pre-season, when it’s hot and the grass is long then you have to be pleased. It was a good game against a side which is one week ahead of us in their pre-season training.”

It could have been one nil for Albion within the first two minutes. James Wilson’s weak back pass had little chance of reaching David James. Tchoyi dashed in and steered his run towards goal, only to be denied by the former England goalkeeper.

Speaking of keepers, Foster’s first contribution was to send a clearance straight into Jonas Olsson, leaving the Baggies defender winded.

Albion were moving the ball around well. Tchoyi, working more as a second striker more than a midfielder, was particularly prominent early on, though he could have done better in the eighth minute when he powered into the box, only to side-foot a weak pass across the box.