Ram Raided

West Bromwich Albion lost 1-0 in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley against Derby County with Stephan Pearson netting his first Rams goal.

The Baggies were impressive and dominated for large amounts of the game, but just couldn’t find there way to goal. Diomansy Kamara, Paul Robinson and Jason Koumas all being denied by keeper Stephan Bywater with Kevin Phillips coming closest, striking the bar.

At the other end Dean Kiely kept out former Baggie Paul Peschisolido and captain Matt Oakley from doubling their victory. But he couldn’t stop Peason converting Giles Barnes cross as Derby pocked £60,000,000 prize fund.

It was third time lucky for Rams boss Billy Davies who saw two previous Play-Off Finals go without merit whilst in charge of Preston North End. But the Scottish born manager has guided the Pride Park club back into the Premier League for the first time since 2002, all this in his first season in charge.

Derby County had finished the season 8 points clear of West Bromwich Albion, finishing in third – for those who don’t believe in the Play-Off system will be overwhelmed that justice may have been served in this final.

The match started off with a bag and the Rams couldn’t contain a strong Baggies attack, as early as first minute Bywater was called into action and a decent dive thwarted the deadly Kamara.

Derby’s league campaign was built upon their determination, resilience and mean defence – and these qualities proved to be the foundation for their final victory.

But an early sparkling run from Koumas threatened to unlock it completely and it took a brilliant last-ditch sliding tackle from Tyrone Mears to stop the Wales international.

The Rams spent most of the opening period trying to force their way into the contest – but they did have one excellent chance after 10 minutes.

Howard played Peschisolido into a huge gap in the centre of the West Brom back line but the 36-year-old, surprisingly recalled to the starting line-up, made a poor connection with his strike and Kiely saved easily.

A jinking run from Craig Fagan saw the Birmingham-born forward cut in from the right touchline and shoot narrowly wide.

But after an open end-to-end start to the final, both teams gradually cancelled each other out.

Koumas looked the most likely to provide the missing inspiration and, after cutting inside with 40 minutes gone, drilled his strike narrowly over the crossbar.

And Phillips ensured West Brom ended the half in the ascendancy with a crisp 20-yard strike that grazed the crossbar after a flowing move opened up the Rams defence.

West Brom continued to create chances after the break – Bywater saving from Koumas and Kamara curling a free-kick over the bar.

Derby, in contrast, struggled to impose themselves on the match and Davies introduced Barnes for Peschisolido after 59 minutes.

And seconds later Derby almost scored when Oakley, who had pulled a shot wide earlier, made a brilliant contact with a Fagan cross only to be denied by Kiely’s finger-tip save.

But with 61 minutes gone Derby, somewhat against the run of play, did score.

Howard played in Barnes to drill a low pass across the face of goal and Pearson got inside Paul McShane and slotted home his first goal for Derby to spark scenes of jubilation.

Having made most of the running for most of the match, the Baggies continued to press, with Bywater requiring two attempts to claim a strike from Zoltan Gera.

Bywater saved a Robinson header and most of the remainder of the game was played in the Derby half but West Brom could find no way to goal.