FINAL SAY FROM JAY
Rodriguez earns point with a late, late penalty
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JAY RODRIGUEZ came to West Brom’s rescue with a controversial last-gasp penalty equaliser.
Rodriguez struck in the nick of time after Dwight Gayle had been somewhat fortunately awarded a spot-kick after taking a tumble in the box.
Nottingham Forest could hardly believe it after two goals from local lad Ryan Yates looked to have won it.
The 21-year-old was only handed his debut at the weekend in the win over Brentford. But he struck twice either side of half-time and looked like delivering a blow to the Baggies’ push towards the top.
Yates has been at Forest since he was eight and almost went out on loan until Martin O’neill told him to stick around and he’d get his chance.
And with just six minutes gone, Yates capitalised on uncertainty in the Albion defence and sent his side storming into the lead. Craig Dawson sold Jake Livermore short with a pass and Forest seized on it, Jack Colback and Lewis Grabban cutting the home defence to ribbons.
Colback sent a low centre skimming across the face of goal and Yates, at the far post, ran the ball in from close range off Stefan Johansen.
Albion came out after the break with renewed vigour. On 50 minutes, Rakeem Harper took a Kieran Gibbs cross on the volley, 25-yards out, only to see his shot hit the bar.
But within a minute, they were rewarded with an equaliser. Gibbs’ ball into the box caused a scramble, and when it eventually fell into the path of Jacob Murphy, he slammed home a low shot.
But the home fans’ joy was short-lived as they fell behind again to another sucker punch from a long throw-in.
The Baggies failed to deal with it, got themselves in a pickle, and when Grabban chested it into the path of Yates, he made no mistake.
He drilled a low shot through a ruck of legs and peeled away in delight as it flew in off the inside of the post.