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West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino spot-on to deny Crystal Palace
West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino spot-on to deny Crystal Palace
(about 2 hours later)
Saido Berahino’s injury-time penalty rescued a point for West Bromwich Albion as they fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Crystal Palace. The striker slammed in his eighth goal of the season after Mile Jedinak had felled Victor Anichebe, who had started the Albion comeback when he nodded in early in the second half.
Neil Warnock claimed West Bromwich’s Craig Dawson got away with “assault” after his challenge on Crystal Palace’s Julián Speroni. The goalkeeper was taken out by Dawson when Victor Anichebe scored to ignite an Albion recovery as they fought back to claim a draw. Saido Berahino’s injury-time penalty completed the comeback after Palace eased into a 2-0 lead.
Palace were upset, though, as Craig Dawson fouled Julián Speroni to allow Anichebe to score – forcing the keeper off with a head injury.
Brede Hangeland and Mile Jedinak’s penalty had put Palace in control but Warnock was furious with Dawson, comparing the incident to Peter Murphy’s challenge on Bert Trautmann in the 1956 FA Cup final. That infamous incident left the Manchester City goalkeeper with dislocations to five vertebrae in his neck and meant he missed a large part of the 1956-57 season.
Brede Hangeland and Jedinak’s penalty had fired Palace into a commanding half-time lead. Palace were also denied what appeared to be a clear first-half spot-kick when Mark Clattenburg failed to spot Dawson’s foul on Wilfried Zaha.
Warnock said: “It’s almost an assault, how one of the four officials can’t be in a position to see that. Dawson had smashed him in the face and I am lost for words. He’s had a two- or three-yard run-up and smashed him in the face. No wonder Julián is a bit groggy. He wanted to carry on.
Ben Foster returned in goal for West Brom having missed Monday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United with a calf injury. Berahino started up front for the in-form Baggies, with the £10m record signing, Brown Ideye, again on the bench after recovering from an ankle injury.
“I’ve had enough talking to the FA. I have not seen something like that since Bert Trautmann. I can’t say anything about the referee or I get fined and I don’t want to because I thought he had a cracking game but he had made two or three really bad mistakes.”
Neil Warnock made three changes from last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea as Zaha, Adrian Mariappa and Marouane Chamakh replaced Jason Puncheon, James McArthur and the suspended Damien Delaney.
Mark Clattenburg also failed to give Palace a penalty before Jedinak’s spot-kick when Wilfried Zaha looked to have been fouled by Dawson. Warnock said: “You can’t win, we had four or five surrounding the referee last week and we were told that was wrong. He had a good game but two, maybe three, decisions went against us and it’s cost us.”
After a quiet opening Palace began to dominate against the lethargic Baggies. Yannick Bolasie’s 18-yard effort deflected wide before Foster turned Fraizer Campbell’s header over on 16 minutes – only for Palace to score from the resulting corner. Bolasie’s cross caused chaos and Hangeland poked in from inside the six-yard box after his initial header had cannoned off Dawson.
The Palace manager insisted he knew little of the claims a billionaire American investor Josh Harris was in talks to buy the club. He said: “I only know what I have read. I will be speaking to the chairman but you have to ask him.”
It was a poor goal to concede but the Baggies almost levelled five minutes later only for Speroni to turn Craig Gardner’s rising drive wide. Graham Dorrans then fired over but it was a brief bright spot from the sloppy Baggies who struggled to deal with Bolasie and Zaha. The duo were a constant threat and Bolasie’s cross was inches away from Campbell after West Brom had lost possession.
Alan Irvine admitted he had to get angry with his side after their first-half no show. The West Brom head coach said: “They did see another side to me, one which doesn’t come out very often but has to come out from time to time.
Organised and robust, the visitors were in control against hosts who looked short of ideas despite just one defeat in their last five games. Palace probably should have had a penalty nine minutes before the break when Dawson appeared to fell Zaha but Clattenburg ignored any – muted – appeals.
“I was bitterly disappointed with the first 32 minutes of the game. We conceded the penalty on a counterattack but for the first 32 minutes we were awful. After that we did what we were supposed to be doing and we eventually got a reward.”
Yet the Eagles did make it 2-0 from the spot on 45 minutes when the hapless Sébastien Pocognoli clattered into Bolasie.
Anichebe scored his first goal of the season after recovering from a groin injury and Irvine felt he played a major part. He said: “There’s no doubt Victor made a difference and before the game I thought we might need him. Having watched Palace and looked at their strengths and the way they are able to play I felt Victor would be needed at some point.”PA
It was a foolish tackle so close to half-time and Jedinak sent Foster the wrong way to put Palace in complete control - a position which weakened six minutes after the break in controversial style.
Berahino - who had been quiet - forced Speroni into a fine low stop from 18 yards but the Baggies scored from the resulting corner. Brunt’s delivery found Anichebe, who had replaced Stéphane Sessegnon at half-time, to nod in but Speroni had been fouled after Dawson clattered into him.
The keeper needed treatment for a head injury and was eventually replaced by Wayne Hennessey – although not before initially refusing to come off in comical fashion.
The game had changed and Palace had relinquished their comfortable advantage with the Baggies finding their missing belief. Gardner kissed the bar from 25 yards before Berahino blazed over from the edge of the area with 14 minutes left.
Palace’s threat had been nullified and the Baggies finally levelled in injury time when Jedinak’s rash challenge on Anichebe in the area allowed Berahino to drill in low from the spot.
