Spurs 1 Albion 0 - analysis
It was a cruel way for a dream to end. But another away day brought another defeat.
It was a cruel way for a dream to end. But another away day brought another defeat.
And only mathematics now stands between Albion and a return to the Championship.
Fresh hope was nice while it lasted. For a few happy days last week Baggies supporters dared to dream their hopes of Premier League survival were still alive.
But one moment of top-drawer precision from an England international brought another dose of harsh top-flight reality for Tony Mowbray and his players.
They fought hard and deserved more. But such has been the nature of their latest flawed Premier League campaign.
Ifs and maybes count for little in the world's most unforgiving division and Mowbray and Co left North London with the trapdoor opening beneath them.
Saturday's meeting with Tottenham was, in effect, Albion's last throw of the dice.
Another demoralising reverse leaves them knowing they must take points off Liverpool to have even a theoretical chance of survival.
In reality, their fate should now be sealed before the Reds bring their fading Premier League title hopes to The Hawthorns on May 17, looking to continue their utter dominance over the Baggies in Premier League competition.
There was little new to report from the clash at White Hart Lane.
Albion performed well, as they have for the last month-or-so in spite of a mixed set of results.
The back four that showed impressive signs of improvement against Sunderland a week earlier stood firm again.
The midfielders moved the ball neatly, Marc-Antoine Fortune worked hard in attack, the Baggies had no luck in front of goal and the travelling supporters offered Mowbray another stirring show of support.
All that mattered on Saturday, however, was the scoreline, with victory essential if the Baggies were to fire fresh life into a dying campaign.
A fine goal from Jermaine Jenas and a wonderful performance from goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes ensured a home win that meant little for Tottenham but hammered a decisive nail into the Premier League coffin of their spirited visitors.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp joined a lengthening list of Baggies advocates at the final whistle with some words of encouragement for Mowbray and his team.
But it was the home manager who left with the points while the Baggies departed in the knowledge the game is virtually up despite one of their best displays of the season away from The Hawthorns.
Defeat to Wigan on Saturday will effectively put them down. And even a win might not be enough to delay the inevitable if other results fail to go their way.
Hull could trigger the last rites with three points at Villa tonight, but even a successful week for the Baggies would surely only prolong the agony for supporters who have spent the last month reaffirming their faith in Mowbray and his methods.
The signs were there again at Tottenham that the manager has plenty of credit left with the punters despite Albion's latest failed attempt to establish their Premier League credentials.
And the thousands who journeyed to the capital were rewarded once more with a performance of promise, only to be hit with the latest in a growing line of sucker punches to hit a team improving just as time runs out.
This time it was Jenas whose name will sit in the record books as the man to break Albion's resistance.
But it was the much-maligned Gomes who was most responsible for earning the home side three points they scarcely deserved, such was Albion's superiority for most of another day of huge frustration.
Three times the home keeper pulled off fine saves to keep Albion at bay and, when he was beaten, Jermain Defoe put himself in the right place to deny the visitors.
It was Albion who dominated the opening exchanges with the recalled Borja Valero prompting them from midfield while the rejuvenated Gianni Zuiverloon oozed energy on the right flank.
The young Dutchman delivered one cross a fraction away from Fortune and put another onto Valero's head, only for the Spaniard to head too close to Gomes.
And the keeper came to his side's rescue midway through the first half as Chris Brunt swung a corner onto the head of Jonas Olsson, whose glancing goalbound effort was heading in until the flying Gomes palmed it around the post. A goalmouth scramble was the nearest Tottenham went to a breakthrough in the opening half-hour as Jenas had a shot parried by Scott Carson before Jonathan Greening cleared his lines.
Carson made a smart save to keep out a low shot from Aaron Lennon before Marc-Antoine Fortune volleyed over from another teasing cross by Zuiverloon.
Albion had been well on top, yet it was the home side who claimed the lead out of the blue two minutes before half-time.
Jenas spotted a few years of space just outside the Baggies box and he used it to the full, side-stepping Youssouf Mulumbu and rifling a perfect show low past Carson.
The goal did little to dent Albion spirit and they were denied by a fraction six minutes into the second period.
Fortune tricked his way past Jonathan Woodgate and hit a shot that took a wicked deflection towards goal. But Gomes pushed it onto the woodwork, the ball rolled across the goalmouth and another chance was gone. With 14 minutes remaining came the most agonising moment of the afternoon.
Brunt produced another excellent corner and Shelton Martis managed a clean, goalbound header, only for substitute Defoe to nudge it off his own line.
The visitors' desperation for a goal was clear in the closing stages. Carson sprinted forwards for a corner, only for Martis to glance it off his head and send the ball over.
And the keeper was left exposed as his side piled men forwards but Lennon hit the base of the woodwork.
In reality, however, a point would have been of little use to an Albion side who are almost out of lifelines.
They are going down with a fight. But there is little doubt they are going down.
By Steve Madeley.
