DOWELL PILES THE HEAT ON BAGGIES
WEST Bromwich Albion loaded more pressure on themselves to get a big win at Leeds United on Friday night.
The Baggies’ home form let them down again and they haven’t won at The Hawthorns in the Championship since Boxing Day. “They gave everything,” said Baggies boss Darren Moore.
“What do I put our home form down to? Teams coming here and getting behind the ball, not wanting to come out and play football.
“We have to find ways of getting around it. Our form on the road is good and now we get ready for Leeds.
“Maybe in terms of our home form we will have to try something different.”
Kieran Dowell might be looking for a permanent home, but he sent Sheffield United closer to a place in the Premier League.
Everton’s Dowell, 21, has been out on loan at Nottingham Forest and now the Blades.
He couldn’t help get Forest up, but his first goal in only his fourth start for United put them back in the Championship’s toptwo places.
With Leeds and Norwich both winning earlier in the day, United knew they needed a victory at West Brom in the late kick-off.
Dowell provided it and Sheffield United climbed above Leeds on goal difference and two points behind leaders Norwich.
Not only did United win, they became the first team to stop West Brom scoring at home in the Championship in this freescoring season.
Away from The Hawthorns there is no team better with the Baggies’ 10 wins the best in the Championship.
But at home it’s getting a bit serious, with only two wins in their past 11.
It was that desire to get that home monkey off their back that was West Brom’s early undoing.
They were caught by the Blades cutting through them in the 14th minute. Kieron Freeman counter attacked and, as Sheffield United flooded forward, Martin Cranie got in his cross and Dowell’s looping header was over Baggies keeper Sam Johnstone and in the net.
David McGoldrick danced through West Brom’s stretched defence and would have got a second if the ball had not hit Johnstone’s legs.
Just before that Johnstone had made a good diving save from Marvin Johnson’s drive, so perhaps he deserved that bit of fortune by his near post.
Mason Holgate shot wide and a fierce Craig Dawson header was the best Albion offered in response and they needed to be better in the second half but had loads of possession and little danger.
“We took the game to them,” insisted Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder.
“But nothing is done and dusted yet just because we have beaten one of our closest rivals.
“I’d say there’s only two or three teams in this league who don’t think they can get up and get the big prize or who are fighting to stay in it.”