Baggie Hal performs ON OFF show
SUPER SUB ROBSON-KANU PACKS IT ALL INTO 20MINS!
HAL ROBSON-KANU came, conquered and then saw red in a crazy cameo which had West Brom boing-boinging towards the top of the Premier League table.
It is uncharted territory for Tony Pulis’s side. Two wins out of two for the first time in top-flight football since 1978.
Pulis would not have known whether to hug or strangle Robson-kanu following his 20 minutes of fame and infamy.
Replacing a disgruntled James Mcclean on 63 minutes, the Wales forward brought some much needed zest to a dormant Baggies frontline. Within eight minutes he was on target following a route-one attack, Chris Brunt launching a long ball which was nodded on by Matt Phillips.
Robson-kanu quickly seized on the opportunity, shrugging off James Tarkowski’s challenge to fire past Tom Heaton. That left Pulis and his assistant Gary Megson – football’s Bad Cop, Bad Cop – in dreamland.
But nine minutes from time, Robson-kanu led with his forearm in an aerial challenge with Matthew Lowton which left the full-back in a crumpled heap, and referee Martin Atkinson had no alternative than to brandish the red card.
It took an age for the Baggies sub to leave the pitch and when he finally made it to the tunnel he was struck by an object thrown from the stand.
Pulis said: “He took his goal well and the sending off was disappointing. I will have a good look and then comment.
“Whether it was or not, the referee deemed it so – we will get on with it. It was a hard finish after that. It seemed more like an hour and we had to defend for our lives. I just want to bring a few players in now.”
And also try and hang on to Manchester City target Jonny Evans, with Albion having already turned down bids mounting to £22million. The Northern Ireland defender was absent yesterday – but with a genuine injury.
Pulis added: “I have said before he’s not the type of lad – even if Manchester City were involved – not to play a game of football when fit. He’s a smashing lad and has been fantastic for us. The injury came before City had made an inquiry.”
If Evans leaves, Pulis will move for Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho. For Burnley boss Sean Dyche, Leeds’ £15m striker Chris Wood cannot arrive too soon after a clutch of missed chances which brought his side crashing back to earth following their heroics at Chelsea last weekend.
The biggest culprits were Sam Vokes, who should have made a better connection from a destructive Robbie Brady delivery, and Ben Mee who headed wide from inside the six-yard box.
The Clarets pressed for an equaliser in the dying minutes with sub Ashley Barnes blasting over the bar – the same fate which befell an effort from Jeff Hendrick.
In the last attack another Burnley sub, Jon Walters, was just inches away with a header which would have earned a deserved point. And Dyche said: “It was a good display and it’s disappointing not to get anything from the game. We limited their chances and made some for ourselves.”
Referring to Robson-kanu’s dismissal, he added: “It was a late challenge, but not malicious. It was still an elbow in the face, though, which these days means red.”
For once you suspect that the wrath of Pulis will not descend on his fellow Welshman Robson-kanu.
A quick glance at the league table will soothe them both.
IRISH DAILY MIRROR