Praise for West Brom goalkeeper

West Brom assistant manager Nigel Pearson hailed the heroics of goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak as the Baggies finally ended their away-day heartbreak.

After 14 Premiership matches without a win on their travels, stretching back to a 4-1 victory at Charlton on March 19 last year, manager Bryan Robson’s side finally have reason to smile again on their way home thanks to a 1-0 win at Wigan.

Super-sub Martin Albrechtsen scored the only goal of the game in the 56th minute, his first for Albion since joining from FC Copenhagen in June 2004, and that after a tactical switch just before the interval following the dismissal of centre-back Darren Moore.

But it was Kuszczak who took the plaudits, making two stunning saves in the dying moments, including an outstanding stop deep into injury time.

With Albion under intense pressure as Wigan searched for an equaliser, Jason Roberts looked destined to pounce from just three yards out, only for Kuszczak to defy the odds with a stop reminiscent of the great Gordon Banks.

Pearson, stepping in for Robson who hd to make a hasty exit from the JJB Stadium to attend a Football Writers ssociation awards dinner being held in his honour in London, said: “It was right up there.

“It was unbelievable, a fantastic save, but when yu are down to 10 men you need everybody to be brave and I thought we showed a lot of bravery.”

The game effectively turned in the 43rd minute when Moore was sent off for two bookable offences, resulting in Robson bringing on Albrechtsen for former Wigan striker Nathan Ellington, who was cheered by the home fans when he was taken off.

Little did those samesupporters know, however, that replacement Albrechtsen would prove the matchwinner, scoring the only goal of the game to lift Albion five points clear of the relegation zone.

A delighted Robson, speaking on Sky Sports, said: “The spirit of the lads was terrific.

“It was a great goal from Martin, and as for Tomasz he has been playing terrifically well recently. But it was a terrific battling performance all round.”

Pearson added: “This is an away win that is long overdue in all honesty.

“Some of the performances have been good, but we have lacked a bit of discipline and when chances have presented themselves we have not been taking them.

“When you go 4-4-1, after going down to 10 men, then you are not going to get many chances, but we managed to convert one on this occasion and it gave us something to hang onto.

“Whether it will give us a lift, only time will tell because we keep talking about getting back-to-back wins and that’s what it’s all about in this league.

“It is now up to us to try to do that.”

It is now seven league defeats in the last 10 games for a Wigan side who are struggling to limp over the fabled 40-point mark which manager Paul Jewell sees as safety.

Despitethe pressure after Albrechtsen’s goal, the Latics created few chances of note until those dying moments when Kuszczak turned on the style.

“It was an amazing save,” said Jewell.

“But we have to do better than waiting until the last minute before finally forcing a ‘keeper into making a great save.

“Give West Brom credit because they got their goal and hung on in there, but for all our possession their ‘keeper has virtually had nothing to do until the death.

“When you are a team that has gone up and has had some success in that division, then it is easy to start thinking the game is easy and you have cracked it.

“As soon as you start thinking that, in particular at this level, then it will hurt you and we are getting punished for making basic errors.

“We have to get back to being a team that’s full of honesty, endeavour, energy and at times being a threat.

“Teams are coming up against us, sitting in there and we are finding it difficult to break them down.

“We always knew scoring goals would be difficult in this league. It’s the hardest thing to do in football, and at the moment we are finding it a struggle.”