Kevin Campbell provided every Baggies fan with a happy afternoon as his early goal put Albion on the road to a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at The Hawthorns.
Campbell was celebrating his 36th birthday today and had cause for a double celebration as he put Albion in front as early as the 6th minute. The striker was composed as he placed the ball past the helpless Rovers keeper Brad Friedel to put the Baggies one up after good work from Junichi Inamoto.
Albion started positively and should have gone a goal up a minute earlier but Campbell somehow screwed a shot wide from a couple of yards when it looked easier for the birthday boy to score.
Campbell and Geoff Horsfield were preferred up front again after Campbell had recovered from his knock in midweek meaning a place on the bench for Nathan Ellington.
Horsfield and Campbell are not spectacular players but they work tirelessly for the team giving Albion something different up front. They hold the ball up and can bring other players into the game allowing more link up play between midfield and attack, allowing us to keep more of the ball and today it worked brilliantly.
Jonathan Greening put Albion even further ahead on the half hour when he smashed home a fantastic goal to double the Baggies lead. Greening picked up on a poor clearance from Blackburn full-back Michael Gray and he flicked the ball over Tugay and then unleashed an unstoppable half volley that left Friedel with no chance.
Albion looked comfortable and could have added more than just their two goals before half time but they found Friedel in inspiring form between the sticks for Rovers. Inamoto and Greening both had long range efforts but they could not find another way past the keeper.
The start of the second half saw Blackburn have a lot of the ball but they didn?t really have to much of a cutting edge leaving Baggies keeper Tomas Kuszczak with little to do.
Blackburn huffed and puffed during the second half but could not out muscle Albion. Debutant Nigel Quashie and in form Ronnie Wallwork were both in fantastic form in the middle for Albion breaking up any midfield possession that Blackburn were having.
David Bentley was the hero in midweek with a hat-trick in midweek but he hardly had a kick today with Curtis Davies and Neil Clement marking him and Shefki Kuqi out of the game.
The usually impressive Pedersen was also quiet on a day that Albion were by far the better team. Blackburn were out thought and out muscled on a day Bryan Robson?s Baggies were the better team.
Pedersen, Ryan Nelson and Florent Sinama-Pongolle all had opportunites for Rovers but they never threatened Kuszczak in the Albion goal.
These three points were even more valuable for the Baggies today with the news that every team below them lost. Albion now find themselves in 16th place with 26 points leaving them 6 points off the relegation zone with important games coming up away at Fulham and then at home to Middlesbrough.
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