West Bromwich Albion continued there poor form away from home with a 1-0 defeat at Championship promotion contenders Sheffield United.
James Beattie netted only his second goal of the 2007-08 season as the Blades did enough to ensure there first league win of the campaign.
Like Albion, the Blades are among the favourites to win promotion to the Premier League; but it was the visitors who almost bagged the first goal. It was an high tempo game and Albion nearly made the perfect start; Carl Hoefkens who picked out Kevin Phillips who shot spectaculary over the top.
The Blades then went on the attack via Michael Tonge who threaded through to Nick Montgomery and the midfielder was stopped in his tracks by the impressive Leon Barnett.
And, on 12 minutes the net should have bulged, Phillips nailed the ball from the left but Scottish striker Craig Beattie looked too cool as he chipped towards goal onto see his effort bang against the bar before Paddy Kenny scrambled away.
Filipe Teixeira then tried a long range effort which barely tested Kenny before at the other end James Beattie squandered his chance after captain Chris Morgan threatened the Albion defence.
Baggies keeper Dean Kiely foiled United after Chris Armstrong fired straight at the former Bury keeper, Bromby had set him up before twisting past Hoekens.
On 37th minute James Beattie broke the deadlock with a text book header; after Armstrong kept in Bromby’s free-kick before crossing for an unmarked Beattie to stoop his header into the top left hand corner of the goal past a bewildered keeper.
The Blades made attempts to kill off the Hawthorns side and almost did in the dying minutes when Kiely got down low to keep out Beattie’s thundering drive.
Chances were few and far between for Albion with the visitors forcing to shoot from distance against a strong United defence. If the Baggies plan to win promotion out of this league then they really must do better.
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