West Brom hold on to edge seven-goal thriller
Posted Sunday, August 12, 2018 by PA
West Brom finally got their Sky Bet Championship campaign up and running as they won a seven-goal thriller at Norwich to record their first win since relegation.
The Baggies were on the back foot for much of the game, but a nightmare couple of moments from City goalkeeper Tim Krul gifted them a 2-1 lead early in the second half and they just about managed to see out the game after the Canaries had twice closed down a two-goal deficit.
Jordan Rhodes opened the scoring for Norwich and then missed a penalty after Jay Rodriguez had scored one of his own after being hauled down Krul, who was making his home debut.
Krul then let a long-range strike from Rodriguez slip past him two minutes after the break and Harvey Barnes stretched their lead after 65 minutes before Teemu Pukki pulled one back.
There was another exchange of goals in the space of a few minutes, with substitute Hal Robson-Kanu making it 4-2 before Grant Hanley reduced the arrears, but Darren Moore’s side stood firm after that to take their points tally up to four from three games.
Norwich settled the quicker of the two sides, with visiting keeper Sam Johnstone twice called into action to deny Onel Hernandez and then Ivo Pinto.
Rhodes then wasted an excellent chance to open the scoring after being put in by Moritz Leitner, with a poor first touch giving Johnstone the opportunity to block.
But it was not before the loan signing from Sheffield Wednesday opened his account for his new club with a 23rd minute tap-in.
Hernandez sent in a dangerous ball across the face for goal which Pukki fed back into the six-yard box for Rhodes to convert.
The Baggies equalised against the run of play in the 33rd minute.
Matt Phillips delivered a dangerous cross which picked out Rodriguez at the back post and the striker was bundled over by Krul as he attempted to take the ball past him. Rodriguez made no mistake from the spot.
Referee Lee Mason had another easy decision to make at the other end three minutes later when Brunt left Hernandez in a heap in the box after a mistimed challenge.
But Rhodes missed the chance to double his tally from 12 yards as his weak spot-kick was easily held by Johnstone.
West Brom went in front two minutes after the restart when Rodriguez benefited from a dreadful error by Krul.
He tried his luck from 30 yards, more in hope than expectation, after Alex Tettey had given the ball away and seemed as surprised as everyone else in the ground when his low skidding effort went straight through the Dutch keeper and into the back of the net.
Norwich almost hit straight back when Pukki squared the ball back for Rhodes but he did not connect cleanly and Johnstone made an excellent reflex save.
Tettey then had a goal-bound pile-driver from distance blocked as the hosts continued to look dangerous, but it was West Brom who took a firm grip on proceedings with a well-taken goal from Barnes.
Phillips did well to pick out the on-loan Leicester man, who coolly stroked the ball home from just outside the area.
Norwich were far from finished, however, and pulled one back in the 70th minute. Hernandez was again the provider, robbing Allan Nyom on the byline and then picking out Finn Pukki for a straightforward finish.
After suffering a couple of scares, the Baggies restored their two-goal advantage with 11 minutes left.
Ahmed Hegazi nodded a Brunt corner into the path of Robson-Kanu, who lashed the ball home from 10 yards.
Amazingly it was 4-3 just two minutes later when Norwich skipper Hanley powerfully headed Hernandez’s cross past Johnstone.
City had chances to nick a point after that, with Rhodes just failing to get on the end of a Hanley knock-down and Hanley himself heading just over.
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