West Bromwich Albion 1 - Portsmouth 1

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Ratings submitted so far: 18

Brendan Clegg:

I thought this would be a bit of a test for us today after our good start. A win would underline our credentials as dark horses for a good season, anything else would probably just remind us all that we’re a work in progress.

Personally I was happy to see MJ get the nod over Grant but otherwise it was as we were.

I thought the first half was cagey. Pompey were well organised and kept their shape - and they took up good positions when Fellows got wide, defended the cut back cross.

We were okay. We dinked it about well at times but had Griffiths to thank after we gave the ball away cheaply and they got in for a 1 v 1.

Our goal came a bit out of nowhere. A decent break at pace, MJ picking it up centrally and dipping it in at pace from around 20 yards.

We had one more moment where Heggebø appeared to miss a sitter from a Fellows shot-come-cross but he might’ve been offside.

In truth I thought Pompey marginally shaded the half but our tempo and effort were fine and we went in ahead at HT.

After the break we had our best spell of the game. Loads of energy, we got at them, put them under pressure and they couldn’t escape. The closest we came was Mowatt hitting the post from distance and otherwise we were queuing up to get wide and cross it.

But we couldn’t get a second and, not for the first time in the game, their left winger put the burners on and hit a wicked early cross that was brilliantly headed home. Every goal can be avoided but it was pretty good… almost perfect.

We reacted and dominated. It’s impossible to avoid comments on the referee because he had a rotten last half an hour - not giving a clear penalty when Heggebø was clattered about 10 yards out and missing a blatant tug back and red card for their defender when the same player was running through.

It was enough to frustrate Mason into getting sent off when he probably should have been calmer.

Despite the injustice we didn’t quite have the quality to do enough. I thought the subs of Grant and Wallace weakened us. Maja for Price made sense to me and Maja looked classy if rusty. The big chance didn’t really come and we had to settle for a point.

Overall not terrible and you’ve got to hope that on any other day the penalty or the red swing it for us… but a bit of an expectation setter for us too. In terms of creative game changers the bench didn’t look full of options as we await the return of Bany, Dike and potentially a signing or two.

Plenty of grit, fight and energy which will keep all of our fans onside and there were also further signs of fast one-touch progressive play.

Next week at Stoke will be our biggest test so far.

• Griffiths - 6 Relaxed and a bit improved. One spill from a tricky cross but distribution and overall gave was good.
• Furlong - 6 We didn’t handle their crosses too well and a few ropey moments on the ball but okay.
• Phillips - 7 Dealt with most things and comfortable on the ball
• Campbell - 6 Did alright. Carried it well and mostly passed it well although his crap pass/foul combo was worthy of a booking. Looks quick.
• Styles - 7 decent high energy and scrappy doo aggression
• Mowatt - 6 Passed it well and unlucky with his strike of the post
• Molumby - 6 Got about, snapped away.
• Fellows - 6 Crosses were well dealt with, kept trying.
• Price - 6 They defended his zone well. Covered ground but less effective and needed to get into it more.
• MJ - 6 Great goal, we didn’t get him into it enough but I’d have given him another 10 mins.
• Heggebø - 6 If he gets a goal and the winner it’s an 8 performance because there is a lot of good there back to goal. Hopefully he gets one soon.

• Grant - 5 Effort but just not quite the quality.
• Wallace - 5 Played deep, couldn’t impact it.
• Maja - 6 Some good touches
• Collyer - 5 Tidy cameo