Now permanent West Bromwich Albion head coach Darren Moore’s start to life in the Championship season of 2018/19 didn’t exactly go to play earlier today.
A tough one to take…
Hegazi hits the bar in added time but Bolton stand firm.#WBA 1️⃣ – 2️⃣ #BOL
Match centre ➡️ https://t.co/CZ5IBrM5e0 #WBABOL pic.twitter.com/THLygtlu0k
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) August 4, 2018
Hosting Bolton Wanderers at The Hawthorns for the league opener we finally succumbed to an 89th-minute goal that gave them all three points in a 2-1 win.
There were positives as Leicester City loanee Harvey Barnes got us back on level terms for a period and showed exactly the kind of asset he could be for us, but equally, there were plenty of negatives in the performance with some not living up to their expected billing.
It’s easy days though and we look to the next one to get some points on the board now and had Ahmed Hegazi’s late header not come back off the bar we’d have probably been talking about a hard-fought, but deserved, point from the encounter as we should’ve made more of our chances and been sharper up front.
Moore acknowledged that as he spoke to the media at the full-time whistle.
"You don't want to lose your first game at home. We've got to move on very quickly.”
Darren’s thoughts… 💬#WBAhttps://t.co/boYa7CT5iK
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) August 4, 2018
The result certainly tempered some of the pre-game optimism on social media.
Sadly…I think the bloke will be left out to dry…there was nothing today that got you thinking we are ready for this championship fight…and it will be an ugly, god awful fight. If you win that’s okay … but losing against that shower of complete shite..a new world!!
— Pedroregis (@Amoco46) August 4, 2018
Announce Dawson Nyom robson Kanu and a few more to be sold and replace with players who want to be there
— Jordan Baldock (@jbaldockwbafc) August 4, 2018
Announce Kanu and Nyom being sold
— Ryan (@Ryan_wba1) August 4, 2018
We need some decent strikers, we need people who can score goals, we don't have any !
— Graham Cox (@coxygraham1) August 4, 2018
Spending a little money and flogging the dead wood might help, rather than sticking with the players who got us in this mess in the first place. Just a thought ????
— Matt (@MutleyyWBA) August 4, 2018
Burke, mozza. Just use them. Embarrassing
— P.M@Geordiebaggie (@Geordiebaggie) August 4, 2018