Molumby flops, Johnston MOTM in 9/10 – West Brom player ratings v Bristol City
West Brom got back to winning ways in the Championship with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Bristol City at The Hawthorns on Sunday.
An almost sleep-inducing opening half-hour of the game was halted in spectacular style as Mikey Johnston headed home a superb Tom Fellows cross from close range, and the Irishman had his second goal of the game and the season nine minutes later with a curling effort into the top corner.
The second half saw Albion have further chances while restricting Bristol to any real opportunities, with Fellows, Johnston, Josh Maja and substitutes Uros Racic and Devante Cole going closest to adding to the 2-0 scoreline.
West Brom News rates the performance of each player out of 10.
Alex Palmer – 6
Had very little to do before giving the ball straight to the visitors right on the edge of his box, but Albion’s defence were able to prevent a shot being taken. Eventually called into action at the far post from a Bristol free-kick, parrying Luke McNally’s header behind, but other than saving a low shot from Mayulu which he parried and Holgate blocked away, Palmer had little to do.
Darnell Furlong – 5
Got up and down the right flank as ever but was at the centre of a controversy when Scott Twine claimed Furlong had caught Cam Pring with a late elbow on the touchline, but the Baggies defender avoided any punishment. Shoved over by Jason Knight for no reason to gift Albion a free-kick and result in a yellow card for the Robins captain.
Mason Holgate – 5
Wasn’t shy to put his body on the line, sliding into challenges aplenty and having several aerial battles with Pring and Amir Mehmeti. Stood off Mayulu for far too long as the striker let fly from the edge of the box, with Palmer making the save, but got his own back to slide in and win the ball as the Bristol City man threatened to cut inside.
Kyle Bartley – 6
Popped up in the area to get on the end of a Mowatt free-kick but could only head over the bar from close range. Picked out Fellows on the run to put the winger in behind for a blocked shot, and saw another effort of his own blocked from a corner soon afterwards before being booked for dragging back Yu Hirakawa.
Torbjorn Heggem – 5
Was the target of Bristol putting balls in behind him down the left channel, but Heggem was rarely troubled on the break, with only Robins substitute Yu Hirakawa leaving him in the dust in a chance which Albion were able to deal with.
Mikey Johnston sensational in statement West Brom victory
Jayson Molumby (off for Uros Racic, 54′) – 4
Slid in wildly on international team-mate Jason Knight to earn a textbook yellow card, something Albion fans have come to expect from the midfielder. He might’ve earned another soon afterwards, getting into a tangle with Twine on the deck before the referee stepped in to separate the two. Was clattered into by Ross McCrorie early in the second half and carried on despite the injury, but was taken off five minutes later.
Alex Mowatt – 6
Looked to pull strings from deep and came forward to play a smart one-two with Swift on the edge of the box, but couldn’t quite get onto the return ball before O’Leary. Carried over halfway on a second-half counter-attack to tee up Johnston, but the final pass was a poor one in an otherwise solid display.
Tom Fellows (off for Jed Wallace, 73′) – 8
Well-marked for the most part but did break away from McNally before being taken down at speed from just outside the box, with a yellow card going the Bristol man’s way. Escaped down the right to put in a peach of a cross from the byline, which Johnston headed home to put Albion 1-0 up. In the second half, Fellows was picked out and raced through on goal, but didn’t pass to Maja as he should’ve and Pring blocked the youngster’s effort, with Fellows withdrawn 10 minutes later after another top-class display.
John Swift (off for Lewis Dobbin, 81′) – 6
Named in the team due to Karlan Grant’s absence, Swift had Albion’s first opportunity from a free-kick taken short, as his dipping shot from range was saved by Max O’Leary. Did well to create pockets of space wherever he went and was involved in a flowing second-half move which yielded a blocked Racic shot, but .
Mikey Johnston (off for Grady Diangana, 73′) – 9
Could well have been forced off early after landing awkwardly on his ankle when running through, but Johnston hit back in style, arriving from right in front to head home a superb Fellows cross and give Albion a 34th-minute lead. Just nine minutes later, the Irishman had his second, cutting inside from the left and curling a superb strike into the top corner to double Albion’s lead. On a hat-trick, Johnston dragged a shot wide on the break and then cut inside looking to find the net again, but it was blocked beyond of the post and he was subbed shortly afterwards.
Josh Maja (off for Devante Cole, 81′) – 5
Starved of service early on but sparked a rapid Baggies counter-attack by releasing Fellows and Molumby. Arrived at the far post to try and finish, but overran the final pass and couldn’t get on the end of it. Left fuming in the second half when Fellows didn’t square for him on the break, but the Nigerian had a chance to make up for that minutes later and could only find the side netting. Taken off late for Devante Cole.
Substitutes:
Uros Racic (on for Jayson Molumby, 54′) – 6 – On early in the second half, the Serbian often looked to get forward, and saw a 20-yard drive parried away from danger by O’Leary before another effort was blocked to loop over the bar.
Jed Wallace (on for Tom Fellows, 73′) –5 – Didn’t come close to replicating Fellows’ output but helped Albion see out a comfortable win
Grady Diangana (on for Mikey Johnston, 73′) – 7 – Picked out Cole on the run with a superb throughball, only for his fellow substitute to put it wide, before another similar ball moments later was blocked and cleared.
Lewis Dobbin (on for John Swift, 81′) – 6 – Escaped into the final third to drill a first-time ball into the area, but no one got on the end of it.
Devante Cole (on for Josh Maja, 81′) – 5 – Slid in to score after being teed up by Diangana, but could only send his first-time finish agonisingly wide of the far post.
In other West Brom news, Albion have been told to brace for “bumps” in the road when their next set of accounts are released.
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