Joe Ellis

Tue 15 March 2022 21:49, UK

West Brom put in a brilliant team display to beat Championship league leaders Fulham 1-0 at The Hawthorns to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Striker Callum Robinson scored the vital goal for Albion midway through the second half, slipping the ball under Cottagers’ keeper Marek Rodak from Karlan Grant’s through-ball.

It was a game in which Steve Bruce’s side largely dominated as the league leaders were well below their best to lose ground in the race for promotion while the Baggies kept their playoff chase on track.

Sam Johnstone – 6

As the Baggies dominated the majority of the game, there wasn’t much for Johnstone to do between the sticks and when he was called upon, he was a brick wall and frustrated Fulham all night long as a result. Back to his best.

Semi Ajayi – 6

Steady is the best way to describe Ajayi tonight. The Nigerian international was comfortable enough going back towards his own goal and didn’t make any big errors on the ball to give the visitors a chance. Nothing special but it wasn’t needed either.

Kyle Bartley – 7

It was a really solid day for the experienced Baggies defender who was in the right place more often than not to head or thump clear any Fulham attacks. You can’t ask much more from your centre-half other than a goal from a set-piece, which he got close to once or twice but couldn’t change the game.

Matt Clarke – 5

It’s definitely handy having a left-footed centre-half when playing a back three but let’s hope we can find someone better in the summer. Clarke was the weak link of the trio at centre-half with Harry Wilson and Neco Williams constantly looking to exploit him.

Darnell Furlong – 4

Other than a decent long throw, what does he bring to the team? He’s a one-trick pony and the majority of attacks from Marco Silva’s side came from their left (West Brom’s right) which seems to suggest that Furlong can’t handle the defensive aspect of his game which isn’t great for a wing-back.

Connor Townsend – 5

Townsend was marginally better than his fellow wing-back on the opposite flank but the Cottagers were still threatening out wide and Steve Bruce didn’t help his men in those areas by not changing the system to give them more protection.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman – 8 (Man of the Match)

This kid is quickly becoming Albion’s best player and he was yet again a cut above the rest in a West Brom shirt. The 20-year-old has this never-ending energy that no other player seems to have within them and he was the one who got the fans excited more than any other.

Jake Livermore – 7

Defensively, one of Livermore’s best games perhaps as he cut out no end of balls from the Fulham midfield and he kept things nice and simple when in possession, leaving the creating of chances to the more out-of-the-box players on show.

Alex Mowatt – 6

It was a good performance from all three central midfielders on the whole with little getting through the centre of the pitch in defence and chances being created but Mowatt was the least effective of the trio in doing the job asked of him.

Karlan Grant – 7

No goals for Grant having bagged three in his previous two but he was still a handful for the Fulham defenders. His sharp runs into the channels continuously dragged the Cottagers to places they didn’t want to be and on another day would have scored a hatful.

Callum Robinson – 7

Much like his strike partner, Robinson caused problems by running into channels behind the defence albeit with less frequency. But he did pop up with that all-important goal when he did make the run and that is all that matters to him.

Substitutes:

Andy Carroll (on for Robinson, 76′) – 5

Grady Diangana (on for Grant, 83′) – 5

Jayson Molumby (on for Mowatt, 86′) – 4

In other West Brom news, Chris Lepkowski is calling for this Baggies ace to be given a new contract after recent developments.

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