Last gasp goal boosts West Brom hopes

Aston Villa 1 West Brom 1

Paul Robinson scored an dramatic injury-time equaliser against rivals Aston Villa today to boost West Brom’s hopes of escaping relegation this season.

The Baggies left-back headed home a cross from Riccardo Scimeca as Bryan Robson’s side continued their run of impressive recent results.

Darius Vassell had scored his first Barclays Premiership goal since the opening day of the season to put Villa ahead, then Jonathan Greening and Liam Ridgewell were sent off for violent conduct before Robinson’s point-saver.

David O’Leary’s side bossed the game for long periods – particularly in the first half – with Gareth Barry, Jlloyd Samuel, Nolberto Solano and Lee Hendrie looking sharp.

Only some fine defending by Neil Clement – a strong contender to be West Brom’s player of the year – and the dependable Robinson plus keeper Russell Hoult kept them at bay.

But the Baggies have a never-say-die attitude and the came more into the game in the second period, no doubt after a wake-up call from Robson at the interval.

Villa made a positive start and it needed Baggies Robinson to put in an important block on Solano’s shot.

Hoult was called into action for the first time when he blocked a close range effort from Vassell, who had seized onto a chip to the far post from Solano.

Juan Pablo Angel shot wide after advancing towards the Albion goal and Hoult dealt comfortably enough with a low drive from Hendrie – but Albion were giving the ball away too easily and inviting pressure.

Barry’s decoy run allowed Samuel the space to break into the Albion area and his wayward cross sliced towards the goal and was turned over the bar by Hoult.

But it was almost inevitable Villa’s constant pressure would eventually pay dividends and they went ahead after 27 minutes through Vassell’s header.

Solano’s corner was met by centre-back Ridgewell and his thumping header produced a superb save from Hoult who pushed the ball up onto the crossbar. But Vassell was first to react to the rebound and headed home from close range.

West Brom seemed powerless to stop the stream of attacks on their goal and it needed a good tackle from Robinson to halt Angel.

Hendrie was then teed up on the edge of the Baggies penalty area by Angel and his rasping drive was only just too high.

It was 42 minutes before Albion managed an effort on goal and then Thomas Sorensen dealt comfortably enough with a dipping Zoltan Gera effort.

But the Villa keeper did well to cling onto a downward header by Kevin Campbell from a deep Gera cross just before the interval.

Albion came close to equalising straight after the restart when a cross from Martin Albrechtsen eluded the dive of Sorensen and hit Martin Laursen but the defender recovered to clear as Horsfield threatened to capitalise.

Robinson became the first player to be yellow-carded for a clumsy challenge on Vassell but then Laursen was booked for a foul on the Albion defender.

Vassell’s dangerous low cross flew across the face of the Albion goal while at the other end Sorensen palmed away a Greening corner at full stretch.

Albion were at least now enjoying a greater share of possession before the game boiled over after 61 minutes with both Ridgewell and Greening sent off.

West Brom were awarded a free-kick after Ridgewell caught Greening but then the pair squared up to each other. Both looked to direct a head-butt at each other in front of referee Rob Styles who had little choice but to give them their marching orders.

Hoult kept West Brom in the hunt with a point blank range to keep out Vassell’s header from Hendrie’s inswinging corner.

Sorensen then came to Villa’s rescue to thwart Gera after he had found himself unmarked 12 yards out.

But in the dying seconds Robinson’s bullet-like header gave Sorensen no chance from Scimeca’s pin point centre.