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West Bromwich Albion 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Owls left pointless as Koren hits late winner
SUBSTITUTE Robert Koren scored a late winner to prevent Sheffield Wednesday climbing out of the relegation zone.
There were only 11 minutes to play at The Hawthorns when the West Bromwich Albion winger found the net with a sensational 25-yard drive.
It was extremely tough luck on the Owls who had been heading for the point they needed to escape the bottom three.
Goalkeeper Lee Grant was so nearly the hero of the night with a string of top class saves to keep Albion at bay.
Yet Grant was unable to do anything about Koren's spectacular drive as it sailed beyond his reach and into the top corner of the net to put the Baggies back in the top two.
With 11 games to play, the Owls are still in control of their own destiny as they host struggling Crystal Palace, who still stand above them only on goal difference, in the last game of the season.
But manager Alan Irvine will certainly not want to take the scrap for survival to the wire and will be aiming for wins in the next seven days against Swansea City and Preston North End to help ease the mounting pressure.
Irvine has now steered the Owls to 18 points from a possible 36 since replacing Brian Laws as manager two months ago and this performance, just days after the impressive win over promotion-chasing Leicester City, suggests things are moving in the right direction for the club.
Striker Marcus Tudgay missed last night's game due to illness so Luke Varney was recalled alongside Leon Clarke in attack. It was the only change to the Owls side that had beaten Leicester three days earlier.
Albion manager Roberto Di Matteo, meanwhile, made two changes in the wake of his side's shock away defeat to Queens Park Rangers, recalling striker Luke Moore and midfielder Graham Dorrans and dropping Robert Cox and Ben Watson to the bench.
The Owls made a solid start, stifling Albion's creativity, and silencing the home crowd. It was a full 20 minutes before the first serious shot on goal – former Wednesday winger Chris Brunt volleying wide.
Albion play with just one out-and-out striker and, in the absence of the injured Roman Bednar, that role went to Luke Moore with wingers Brunt and Jerome Thomas offering support.
Both wingers are more naturally suited to the opposite flank they roam but Di Matteo wants them cutting inside and shooting with their stronger foot.
It was testimony to the concentration of Owls full-backs Eddie Nolan and Tommy Spurr that both players were unable to make an impact in the first half.
Eight minutes before the break, winger Jermaine Johnson spurned a golden opportunity to put the Owls ahead.
Having dispossessed Marek Cech on the edge of the box, Johnson was in a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Scott Carson. The Jamaican opted for a chip rather than taking on Carson or letting fly and the ball subsequently landed on the roof of the net.
Albion striker Moore failed to capitalise on a wayward header from Purse and shot wide under pressure but it was no more than a half chance.
The Owls needed to maintain the resistance in the second period as Di Matteo introduced Koren for Thomas and switched Brunt to the left-hand side.
Ishmael Miller replaced Moore and almost made an instant impact, shrugging off James O'Connor before shooting wide.
It took a hat-trick of fine saves from goalkeeper Grant to keep the scoreline blank as Albion laid siege.
Showing superb reactions, Grant blocked a header from Jonas Olsson, scrambled another from Miller around the post, and tipped over a third from James Morrison.
The one-way traffic continued and Grant pushed a 30-yard drive from Dorrans over the bar. Mark Beevers then misjudged a high ball allowing Miller to get behind and head wide of the target.
However, Wednesday's brave resistance finally cracked with 11 minutes to play and this time Grant was unable to do anything about it.
West Brom: Carson; Reid, Tamas, Olsson, Cech; Brunt, Morrison (Barnes 83), Mulumbu, Dorrans, Thomas (Koren 45); Moore (Miller 68). Unused substitutes: Kiely, Meite, Watson, Cox.
Sheffield Wednesday: Grant; Nolan, Purse, Beevers, Spurr; Miller, O'Connor (Jeffers 83), Potter, Johnson (Soares 71); Clarke, Varney. Unused substitutes: O'Donnell, Hinds, McAllister, Simek, Gray.
Referee: S Mathieson (Cheshire)
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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