PULIS USES THE REF WORD
<M<IP B@:B# <M<IP >F8C# Albion boss fumes at ‘extra-time’ equaliser
WEST BROM had their pockets picked by a real-life Oliver Twist.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis was so incensed he couldn’t even bring himself to call referee Michael Oliver by his first name.
Pulis was so furious that he chose not to acknowledge the official with a polite ‘Mr’ and after seeing three points snatched from his grasp in time added on at the end of injury time, perhaps the ref should be grateful that he wasn’t called something else.
Albion were furious Richarlison’s headed equaliser came in the 95th minute of the game when the board had shown only four minutes extra.
The £13m Brazilian also grabbed a 90th-minute winner against Swansea recently.
Gutting
But Pulis said: “It’s very, very hard to take. The challenge which led to the free-kick was a good tackle.
“Oliver sees it perfectly – he’s 10 yards away. James McClean plays the ball.”
Jose Holebas swung the free-kick into a crammed box and there was Richarlison to cash in.
Baggies skipper Jonny Evans said: “It’s gutting to concede a goal right at the end like that, especially the way we pride ourselves on our resilience.
“It was all a bit chaotic in the box, with the last free-kick. “We didn’t get ourselves organised and that’s something we’ll have to address. “Their keeper came up in the last minute, which throws an extra spanner in the works. But we had our defensive line, couldn’t quite get things organised and before you know it, it’s in the back of the net.”
Richarlison and his team-mates celebrated wildly and little wonder after such a late smash and grab.
Holebas put it down to Watford’s never-say-die approach and the team spirit in their dressing room.
He said: “We believe in never giving up, like it should be.
“It should have been last year like this and in the two years I’ve been here but there was a different feeling. “But it comes automatically when you start winning or you draw and it comes by itself – you start believing.”
West Brom paid the price for not killing the game off after having the Hornets on the rack.
Salomon Rondon got the home side off to a good start with a well-taken 19th-minute goal – his first of the season – and Evans nodded home a few minutes later to put Albion 2-0 up.
The impressive Abdoulaye Doucoure got one back shortly before half-time to spark Watford’s revival. WEST BROM (4-4-2): Foster 7; Dawson 5, Hegazi 5, Evans 6, Gibbs 6; Phillips 6 (McClean 57, 6), Barry 6, Krychowiak 7, Brunt 6 (Livermore 62, 6); Rodriguez 7, RONDON 8 (Robson-Kanu 72). Subs: Myhill, Nyom, Morrison, Chadli. UP NEXT: Leicester (a), Premier League, Monday October 16. WATFORD (4-3-3): Gomes 7; Femenia 6, Mariappa 6, Kabasele 6, Holebas 7; Doucoure 7, Cleverley 6, Capoue 6 (Pereyra 62, 6); Carrillo 5 (Gray 75), Deeney 5, RICHARLISON 8. Subs: Karnezis, Janmaat, Britos, Hughes, Watson. UP NEXT: Arsenal (h), Premier League, Saturday October 14. Referee: Michael Oliver 5. YOUR TURN: Who was the last man to score a hat-trick in a West Brom v Watford game, in the 4-4 Division 1 draw at The Hawthorns in March 1996?