‘As well as we did play, I am disappointed that we didn’t make more of a fist of it’
JACQUE TALBOT
ACCRINGTON Stanley were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, as West Bromwich Albion asserted their Premier League quality.
Goals from Solomon Rondon, Matt Phillips and Jay Rodriguez saw off a battling Stanley at the Wham stadium, despite a consolation late on for the hosts through defender Tom Dallison.
But despite their spirted display, boss John Coleman felt Stanley should have made the Baggies sweat more.
“We never ever had the chance to make their hearts race,” said Coleman.
“We didn’t make them doubt themselves.
“As well as we did play, I am disappointed that we didn’t make more of a fist of it, because if we play that game all over again, it could be a totally different outcome and that’s really frustrating.”
The Reds boss wanted more from the Stanley side who have managed to beat Championship team Preston North End in a dramatic 3-2 victory in the first round of the competition.
And it looked as though Stanley wanted more of the same as they looked to unnerve West Brom in the opening proceedings.
But it did not take too long, however, for the Midlands side to show their capabilities against the League Two opposition.
A clever dink over top of the Stanley defence by James Morrison, with just a few minutes played, fed the forward Solomon Rondon through on goal.
The 27-year-old struck the ball cleanly but it was directed right at Aaron Chapman, who did well to get down low and save. there. This is a team who haven’t conceded a goal in the Premier League, let alone a League Two team. They won’t concede a better chance than that in the next six months, I don’t think.”
Rondon twisted the knife on Stanley’s earlier miss inside 31 minutes, as he broke through and made clever switch to Phillips, who took the ball down well and buried it across from goal, doubling Albion’s lead.
After the break, McConville’s struck a superb shot from distance and it forced Boaz Myhill to flick the ball over his bar, as Stanley opened the game up, comprising their defence duties for attack.
Kayden Jackson went clean through on goal inside 63 minutes, but then looked to be brought down by defender Craig Dawson, just as the inform striker hit his shot over the bar.
The home side were too caught up in surrounding referee Jeremy Simpson in protest to notice the visitors