West Bromwich Albion bagged their first Premier League win of 2012 with a last-gasp 2-1 success at Stoke City.
The goalkeepers were heavily involved at the Brittania Stadium on Saturday with West Brom’s Ben Foster saving a Jon Walters penalty, while Thomas Sorensen, it can be argued, was at fault for both James Morrison’s and Graham Dorrans’ goals. Before Dorrans’ winner, Cameron Jerome thought he had saved a point for Stoke.
Roy Hodgson’s men were worth their half-time lead and indeed should have had an early goal after Jerome Thomas eased past Jonathan Woodgate. He went for goal, but Sorensen just managed to deny him by sticking out his left foot.
The visitors had another chance to take the lead just short of the quarter hour mark when Thomas pulled the ball back to Simon Cox, but he sliced his shot badly wide.
Gabriel Tamas put in an excellent tackle to deny Walters a chance at the other end, before Sorensen had to make another save – and a super one – when tipping Morrison’s 25-yard drive over his bar.
However, when Morrison tried from that bit further out he got his reward. The ex-Middlesbrough man ran onto the ball after Youssuf Mulumbu had cut out a punt upfield from Ryan Shawcross. He then ran forward before letting fly from 30 yards and Sorensen was completely culpable as he allowed the swerve of the ball to deceive him as he clawed at it and missed s it crossed the line for a West Brom goal.
That was enough for the Baggies to lead at the break, and they had chances to go further in front early in the second half. However, Robert Huth got in the way of Marc-Antoine Fortune’s effort, and Morrison then struck the post after another of his efforts from range had Sorensen flapping again.
Stoke regrouped, with Marc Wilson driving wide from 25 yards and Walters glancing a header just inches wide of Foster’s post.
The Republic of Ireland striker had a golden chance to drag Tony Pulis’ side level 20 minutes from the end, after he was adjudged to have been impeded by Gareth McAuley in the area. Walters went for power from the penalty spot, but Foster’s knee kept his strike at bay and West Brom’s lead remained.
It finally went in the 86th minute when Jerome got to fellow sub Jermaine Pennant’s free-kick from the right and beat Foster with his head.
But there was still time for a twist when the Baggies won an injury-time free-kick on the left, and Dorrans’ ball in evaded everyone – Sorensen included – to nestle in the Stoke goal and give the visitors all three points.