wednesday 0 west brom 1

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THE denims were being ironed, Parfitt and Rossi were clearing their throats and the three-chord riffs were being prepared.

At 9.35pm last night, the Status Quo looked set to be maintained at the top of the Championship which, frankly, would have been as unappealing to Albion supporters as a tacky, ageing rock band who specialise in appalling songs and do a fine line in hip movements.

Watford drew, Bristol City were one goal apiece with Charlton and Stoke didn't play.

But, to the relief of all Albion fans, along came Kevin Phillips to hand the Baggies a vital win.

Albion remain fourth in the table but just four points behind leaders Bristol, with a game in hand and a goal difference which all three pace-setters may as well forget about catching.

Last night was about getting a result. With no League game to worry about this weekend Albion could ill-afford a defeat last night.

A draw would have been satisfactory and kept their progress ticking along, but a win was a bonus.

The game itself was not a classic. Wednesday started brightly enough but Albion slowly grew in confidence throughout the opening half.

The best chance of the first 45 minutes came around half-way through when Robert Koren pounced onto Zoltan Gera's cross-field pass only to see his dipping 20-yard shot tipped away by Lee Grant. Chris Brunt blasted the rebound over.

Those who had opted for a night of Holby City instead of a trip to South Yorkshire were probably feeling a little smug.

The second half threatened to be even worse in terms of quality, with only Koren's 71st minute shot, which deflected onto the bar, threatened to settle matters.

And then Jermaine Johnson came to everyone's rescue, some 12 minutes from time, by deciding to elbow Jonathan Greening not once, but twice, just to be on the safe side. It's hardly surprising that referee Andy D'Urso produced a straight red card.

Wednesday's loss was Albion's gain as the game opened up between minutes 80 and 96.

Marcus Tudgay went close to scoring a winner in the 88th minute only to be denied by an excellent Dean Kiely save before substitute James Morrison placed his header straight at Grant shortly afterwards.

Morrison went close again in the third minute of injury time before providing Phillips with a fantastic cross in the sixth minute of injury time.

The time of the goal wasn't lost on Albion fans - when Wednesday came to The Hawthorns they scored at a similar period of the game when the referee for that particular match, Nigel Miller, played on long after he should have done.

Albion's winner came a good 20 seconds or so after Andy D'Urso should have blown for time yesterday.

Call it karma, if you will.

Yet last night's victory at Hillsborough was so much more than a little bit of posturing in the race for the Premier League.

Tony Mowbray's men proved that somewhere within that passing, footballing side, is a bunch of screamers and fighters who are willing to throw in the occasional hay-makers during this promotion push.

For starters there has been a myth for some time that Albion are in some ways poor defensively. True, they've had their moments, but a quick glance at the League table rubbishes the theory.

Of the top seven teams, Albion have conceded the second-joint lowest number of goals. Stoke, supposedly a defending powerhouse, have let in six more than Albion, who have kept clean sheets in four of their last five games.

Leon Barnett keeps getting better and Albion's whole backline looked more defensively tuned yesterday. Clearances which would normally be 'played' out, were being belted away into Row Z. It was almost unAlbion-like at times but, occasionally, needs must.

The side were organised and the full-backs - so often the root of the problem due to their licence to roam forward - remained disciplined throughout. The midfield lacked a little spark while up front Roman Bednar and Luke Moore worked hard with varying degrees of success. Moore is finding the Championship a little less subtle than the top flight, but still flirted with the opposition penalty area at times, although he could learn from Bednar, who continues to terrorise defenders who cross his path to goal.

It was left to Phillips to ensure the victory. Given that he normally scores his goals in streaks, then the return to form could not come at a more convenient time. Nor, for that matter, could Albion's decision to win an away match.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: (4-4-2) Grant, Hinds, Beevers, Wood, Spurr, Johnson, Kavanagh, Bolder, O'Brien (Sahar 69), Showunmi, Tudgay. Not used: Burch, Burton, McAllister, Wallwork.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION: (4-4-2) Kiely 7, Hoefkens 6, *BARNETT 8, Albrechtsen 7, Robinson 7, Gera 6, Koren 6, Greening 6, Brunt 6 (Morrison 81), Moore 6 (Phillips 75, 7), Bednar 7 (Miller 64, 5). Not used: Danek, Martis.

[Beefy]

It looks like another Yorkshire club is coming down to League1. Sheffield Wednesday are rumoured to be lining Alan Shearer up for his first managers job, they are the type of club that Shearer should be looking at because the potential at Hillsborough is enormous

[Jibbers]

Very suprised at JJ's actions in getting sent off. Unfortunatly he has not fulfilled his huge early potential and if he had progressed he should be playing at a much higer level. Another case of huge potential not making the grade.

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Originally Posted by Beefy

It looks like another Yorkshire club is coming down to League1. Sheffield Wednesday are rumoured to be lining Alan Shearer up for his first managers job, they are the type of club that Shearer should be looking at because the potential at Hillsborough is enormous

it looks like another westmids club in the prem and another westmids club in the championship