Dream return for Dike as boss has new experience!
ALBION cruised into the FA Cup fourth round – possibly playing Wolves – after a firsthalf blitz against Aldershot.
Early goals from Nathaniel Chalobah and Jovan Malcolm set the Baggies on course for a 4-1 win and ended any thoughts the National League visitors had of a shock.
Daryl Dike – making his first appearance since April following a serious Achilles injury – added a third before half-time with the gulf between the Championship promotion-chasers and the Shots obvious.
There were never any hopes of a comeback and Tom Fellows’ first senior goal completed Albion’s scoring before Ollie Bray’s consolation.
Here are the talking points from Sunday’s stroll at The Hawthorns...
Daryl delivers
Dike would have been dreaming about this when he hit the hay on Saturday night – a return to the turf and, if the opportunity arose, a goal.
He was impressive enough throughout the first half for a man who hadn’t kicked a competitive ball for nearly nine months.
He made runs, held the ball up as an old-school centre-forward and then, when the ball bounced off the head of Stuart O’Keefe, he hammered it into the roof of the net. His reaction was understandable.
The hard work of those eight months of recovery and rehabilitation, building himself back up to the necessary levels to manage even 45 minutes, was totally worth it. It didn’t matter it was a cup game, in a halfempty stadium against non-league opponents, it is more about what comes next.
This was a fillip for Dike, no doubt. His minutes will continue to be managed and he will still need easing in, but it was evident, not only what his re-appearance meant to him, but also to head coach Carlos Corberan, who now has another much-needed option, a more-than-useful weapon, when it comes to leading the line. The lightening of the load ought to benefit Brandon Thomas-Asante, too.
The academy shines
Eleven academy products. Five in the starting XI and seven in the XI who left the pitch at the end.
What a day for the academy, for Richard Beale, Rich Stevens and all the staff who contribute to the nurturing and development of these players, leading them into a position from which Corberan can assess them and pick them up.
We know all about Caleb Taylor, Josh Griffiths, Malcolm and, certainly, Fellows, but many might have been forgiven for not knowing the first thing about Fenton Heard.
Corberan has taken a real liking to the nimble playmaker, who looked at home from the get-go, didn’t shy away and was eager to receive the ball and impact proceedings.
You could tell that Fellows, meanwhile, has plenty of first-team experience by comparison. He is in a rhythm at the moment, the pick of the bunch here for the second time in the space of a week, and an assist and a goal to cap things off – his first goal contributions in an Albion shirt. There was also a nice cameo for Harry Whitwell, which pleased Corberan.
Scratching the surface
Albion ought to benefit from some decent 90-minute run-outs as Corberan deals with his squad being tested to its limits.
Erik Pieters, Pipa and Chalobah all completed the game, the latter scoring a delightful half-volley early on to get Albion on their way, and all impressed in their various positions.
Pieters has played a significant role under Corberan in the last 15 months, developing a partnership with Dara O’Shea in defence last year on which Albion built their winning streak. Pipa, meanwhile, has been patient but diligent and demonstrated his versatility again.
Chalobah, with Jayson Molumby battling injury issues, is in line for more Championship minutes.
The absentee list was quite substantial: No Wallace, Swift, Maja, Phillips, Molumby, Kelly, Reach, Ajayi or Diangana.
Throw in the loss of Jeremy Sarmiento and Corberan needed certain players, who would otherwise have had a break to fill in.
Thankfully, Kyle Bartley, Alex Mowatt and Cedric Kipre did so without any fresh issues.
Onto the next game
It has been an intense few weeks and a weekend off at the end of January might have suited Albion. However, winning is the name of the game – in any competition, at any time of year.
Winning breeds momentum, confidence levels rise and Albion – with their young band of burgeoning talents exposed to first-team football here – will ultimately feel the benefits of it in the days and weeks to come.
It means another game, but the picture should look quite different by the time the fourth-round weekend comes around.
By that stage, Corberan will hopefully have an attacking player through the door to cover the loss of Phillips and a replacement for the departed Sarmiento, while others will, all being well, have shaken off their niggles.