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West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Derby County

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments24

Tom Ince scored a superb free-kick as Championship side Derby came from a goal down to knock Premier League West Brom out of the FA Cup.

Albion went ahead 10 minutes before half-time when Matt Phillips curled a shot past goalkeeper Scott Carson.

But the visitors equalised after the break as Darren Bent found the top corner from 25 yards.

Ince then bent a free-kick between Boaz Myhill and his near post to delight the 5,300 travelling fans.

Lows and highs for Carson

Steve McClaren and Scott Carson
Derby goalkeeper Scott Carson - pictured with Steve McClaren - played for West Brom between 2008 and 2011

Derby goalkeeper Carson's career has been packed with ups and downs, as his manager Steve McClaren knows only too well.

McClaren's last match in charge of England saw Carson let in a soft shot from Niko Kranjcar in what turned out to be a costly Euro 2008 qualifying defeat by Croatia almost a decade ago.

He produced both the best and worst of his game as he faced one of his former clubs at The Hawthorns.

A casual pass out in the opening moments gifted a chance to Salomon Rondon, whose shot beat the keeper - only for a superb Richard Keogh clearance to prevent a goal.

Carson, though, more than redeemed himself with an outstanding save in the closing moments, tipping over Rondon's header from substitute Nacer Chadli's cross to preserve Derby's advantage.

Phillips shines, but Albion lack urgency

Matt Phillips
Matt Phillips' fine curling shot gave West Brom a half-time advantage

West Brom goalscorer Phillips, an inconsistent performer for much of his career, has started to realise his potential this season, thanks to the cajoling of head coach Tony Pulis.

Phillips was seen as an underwhelming signing by many Albion fans when he arrived from QPR for £5.5m in July, but Pulis has worked hard to build the player's confidence.

The result has been a rich run of recent form that has lifted West Brom into the Premier League's top eight. Against Derby, he pounced on an error by Keogh to run at the visitors' defence and bend in a classy goal. The winger has now played a part in 12 goals in his past 11 matches - scoring five and assisting seven.

However, Albion's tendency to let opponents have more of the ball was costly as Derby were allowed to work their way back into the game.

Had James Morrison not fired over a great chance to score from 12 yards, moments after Phillips' opener, the Championship side might have been sunk. As it was, McClaren's team were always likely to get the opportunities to get back into the game - and so it proved.

Stat of the day

Darren Bent has scored in nine of his past 10 FA Cup games, including each of his four for Derby County.

'The keeper knew straight away it was in'

Derby match-winner Tom Ince, speaking to BBC Radio Derby: "It's about time I got one in. I practise free-kicks a lot in training, and it's nice to do it on a match day.

"The free-kick was in an awkward position where I couldn't really put it into the box for a cross. The goalkeeper had three in the wall, and he left a lot of space to his left, so I thought that if I was able to get it up and over the wall and on target, then I'd give myself a chance. As soon as it went over the wall, the keeper didn't move - and I think he knew straight away that was in.

"It was a fantastic performance all round. It's always a big test when you come to a Premier League side, especially when you're away from home - but I thought we played ever so well."

West Brom manager Tony Pulis, speaking to BBC WM: "I'm really proud of the players. They've worked so hard. We battered them. We needed a break and we didn't get a break.

"The two goals they scored are disappointing from our point of view. We should have dealt with the first one - we stepped away from their player.

"With the second one, we'll have to talk about the wall. I've been in to see Jon [Moss, the referee], and he's marked out 13 paces for that free-kick. With others in the game, he's marked out 10 paces. Those are the breaks you need to get through in cup football."

Line-ups

West Brom

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Myhill
  • 25Dawson
  • 23McAuley
  • 3OlssonSubstituted forChadliat 78'minutes
  • 20GallowaySubstituted forRobson-Kanuat 68'minutes
  • 5Yacob
  • 24Fletcher
  • 14McClean
  • 7MorrisonBooked at 53mins
  • 10Phillips
  • 9Rondón

Substitutes

  • 1Foster
  • 4Robson-Kanu
  • 8Gardner
  • 22Chadli
  • 34Harper
  • 47Field
  • 49Wilson

Derby

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Carson
  • 12Baird
  • 6Keogh
  • 5Shackell
  • 26HansonSubstituted forPearceat 82'minutes
  • 4BrysonSubstituted forVernamat 88'minutes
  • 17de Sart
  • 10InceBooked at 90mins
  • 15JohnsonBooked at 90mins
  • 20CamaraSubstituted forVydraat 86'minutes
  • 11Bent

Substitutes

  • 7Russell
  • 16Pearce
  • 23Vydra
  • 24Weimann
  • 35Mitchell
  • 41Guy
  • 48Vernam
Referee:
Jonathan Moss
Attendance:
25,288

Match Stats

Home TeamWest BromAway TeamDerby
Possession
Home54%
Away46%
Shots
Home28
Away7
Shots on Target
Home7
Away4
Corners
Home15
Away2
Fouls
Home10
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Derby County 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Derby County 2.

  3. Booking

    Tom Ince (Derby County) is shown the yellow card.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Hal Robson-Kanu (West Bromwich Albion).

  5. Post update

    Richard Keogh (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Attempt missed. James McClean (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.

  7. Post update

    Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Scott Carson.

  8. Post update

    Attempt saved. Salomón Rondón (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Nacer Chadli with a cross.

  9. Booking

    Bradley Johnson (Derby County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  10. Post update

    Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Bradley Johnson (Derby County).

  12. Post update

    Attempt missed. Darren Fletcher (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by James McClean with a cross.

  13. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James McClean with a headed pass.

  14. Post update

    Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Jason Shackell.

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Hal Robson-Kanu (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Salomón Rondón with a headed pass.

  16. Substitution

    Substitution, Derby County. Charles Vernam replaces Craig Bryson.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Salomón Rondón (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Matt Phillips.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Derby County. Matej Vydra replaces Abdoul Camara.

  19. Post update

    Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Scott Carson.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner.

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24 comments

  • Comment posted by U16601550, at 17:14 7 Jan 2017

    Derby are fantastic! This is a premier league team that is stuck in the championship. If they get in the playoffs who will beat them? Reading are decent at times, Leeds could capitulate at any time as could Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield. Derby will be in the Prem next season.

  • Comment posted by thedalj, at 17:00 7 Jan 2017

    Good Derby should be in the premier league

  • Comment posted by Hughmungus, at 17:27 7 Jan 2017

    Four to one, four to one. A top championship side against a fair premier side and Ladbrokes offer four to one !!!!!

    I'll have twenty quids worth of that, thankyou very much. £80 profit in the old sky rocket.

    You Rams.

  • Comment posted by otiger, at 17:23 7 Jan 2017

    Is this a have your say on my team, Derby? Oh my goodness. I'm dreaming.

    Well, great result but let's not really get carried away! There are a LOT of games to go, yes we've got a very good squad but football is a fickle thing. McLaren deserves a lot of praise. He's Derby through and through. I loved the football we played under him a few years ago - now we look more solid, as well. EWE RAMS.

  • Comment posted by Sojidor, at 17:05 7 Jan 2017

    Unexpected but really happy. Great defending won it and a bit of class up front

  • Comment posted by AndSleep, at 18:59 7 Jan 2017

    Derby knock a premiership team out of the Cup away from home, Pulis is miserable as **** and making up stupid excuses, the Gumps got battered.

    This is pretty much the perfect day!

    COYR

  • Comment posted by Pete England, at 17:30 7 Jan 2017

    WBA 23 shots and only 5 on target. The Super Rams only had 6 shots and 4 on target! Shots count for nothing if you can't put the ball between the sticks. Let's not forget Derby were struggling today to fill the field due to suspensions and injuries. COYRamssss

  • Comment posted by fireyMoosse, at 20:47 7 Jan 2017

    Why oh why oh why did we play that inept useless bag of carp McLean, every time we play him we lose he is just about the worst player we have ever signed. PUllis get a grip drop the tube

  • Comment posted by Exiled-Ram, at 20:24 7 Jan 2017

    Great (and unexpected) result today, but lovely to see Pulis moaning about the ref., which makes the win even more sweet.

    Well done lads (and Ang - PotY)

  • Comment posted by wimborneram, at 17:32 7 Jan 2017

    And forest lost!!! What more can a ram boy want...

  • Comment posted by Tox1ctell, at 20:52 7 Jan 2017

    Oh come on Pulis do not join it was the refs fault brigade,leave that to Maureeno.

  • Comment posted by pc-read, at 18:02 7 Jan 2017

    Bring on Leeds next Friday!

  • Comment posted by Jem Hinds, at 08:46 8 Jan 2017

    Having been sat live at the ground, it was fair to say Derby gave Tony P a first half lesson on what the art of playing 'football' is. Yes 1 nil down (didn't last long), but that beautiful bag of air was being played around like it was a training session. The only thing that was getting battered during the FA Cupset, was the sound of emptying seats with ten minutes to go....

  • Comment posted by Shooyee Magooyee, at 21:22 7 Jan 2017

    Fair play to the Derby fans... they outsung us throughout Although we had plenty of possesion we never looked like really scoring in the second half and when will Pulis realise that blaming the referee for 'counting too many steps' will not cover up for poor goalkeeping.
    I fear its going to be a hard season from now on .

  • Comment posted by TuckInItsCustard, at 14:11 9 Jan 2017

    Derby may have got 12 points in 2007/8 but that's the highest ever tally in PL history by a team put together by Billy Davies..... lucky to get nil most weeks!

  • Comment posted by BILKO, at 03:15 9 Jan 2017

    It is only a GAME for goodness sake not really important in the overall scheme of things one should be able to enjoy 90 minutes of football without being constantly bombarded with vile insulting idiotic (possibly drunken) remarks. I stopped taking my children and grand children to football matches (professional and amateur) a long time ago for this very reason.

  • Comment posted by Matt J, at 20:14 8 Jan 2017

    Tox1ctell, I think I sat in front of you on Saturday. I was sat with my daughter supporting Derby (quietly) with the west Brom fans next to the Smethwick Road end. Listened to foul mouthed abuse directed at the huge Derby following with one idiot constantly reminding them that Derby amassed a paltry 12 points in their last premier league season. So what? A long time ago. Very sour grapes, Pulis

  • Comment posted by DavidHankey, at 07:55 8 Jan 2017

    For Pulis to say they "battered" Derby is pure hogwash!! They lost 1-2 and what was the goalkeeper doing for the free kick 25 yards out or was it 26?

    To attack the referee over 10/11 yards is absolute baloney. Get yourself and your team in order Pulis!!

  • Comment posted by dcfcm, at 23:03 7 Jan 2017

    Sour grapes? From Tony Pulis? Surely not!

  • Comment posted by psychomaths, at 19:34 8 Jan 2017

    There are times during a season that a 'pivotal moment' happens. The result for Derby might be one such event. To win on a decent Premier club's own muck-heap could define Derby for the rest of the season. The defence may well have more belief. The attack varies in consistency but that will surely improve when Tom learns to look around at who is running with him. See you again next year Baggies?

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