Baggies Hit The Accelerator Button To Go Top

Another busy week has seen West Bromwich Albion take over from New­cas­tle United at the top of the Cham­pi­onship table.

The Bag­gies have enjoyed a fine week, pick­ing up six points and scor­ing eight goals in their two matches. In mid-week they bat­tled back from a goal down to beat Don­caster Rovers 3–1, cour­tesy of a brace from Jonas Ols­son and a stun­ning long range effort from Chris Woods. Then in a much antic­i­pated top of the table clash with Mid­dles­brough, West Brom leaped into top gear, thrash­ing the hosts 5–0.

With Boro sit­ting in sec­ond, the game had been expected to be a tight affair but a first half brace from Chris Brunt trig­gered a Mid­dles­brough col­lapse, as the Bag­gies ran riot. Goals from Yous­souf Mulumbu, Roman Bed­nar and Jerome Thomas com­pounded Boro’s mis­ery and left man­ager Gareth South­gate with the unen­vi­able task of pick­ing up his play­ers in time for next week­ends trip to Coventry.

For­mer Cham­pi­onship lead­ers New­cas­tle United had a mixed week, los­ing top spot with a 2–1 defeat at Black­pool, before bounc­ing back on Sat­ur­day with a 3–1 vic­tory over strug­gling Ply­mouth. The Mag­pies now sit sec­ond, a point behind West Brom but three points clear of Middlesbrough.

At the other end of the table Ipswich enjoyed a bet­ter week but are still with­out a first win of the sea­son after pick­ing up a point in each of their matches. In mid­week they were held to a 1–1 draw with Not­ting­ham For­est after Rob Earn­shaw came off the bench to can­cel out Grant Leadbitter’s opener. Then on Sat­ur­day there was more frus­tra­tion for the Trac­tor Boys as Don­caster Rovers grabbed a late equaliser in a 3–3 thriller at the Keep­moat Stadium.

Ipswich now sit 23^rd in the table and are joined in the drop zone by Barns­ley and Ply­mouth Argyle. Barns­ley have a new man in charge and enjoyed a good week as well as increas­ing their Cham­pi­onship bet­ting odds by pick­ing up four points, while Ply­mouth may soon have a new boss them­selves — Paul Stur­rock com­ing under increas­ing pres­sure after another point­less week.

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