FA Cup: Bristol City 3-0 West Brom - Report
Albion lost consecutive matches under Carlos Corberan for the first time as they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Bristol City.
It was Ashton Gate disappointment for almost 3,500 travelling Baggies as their side were seen off 3-0 in the fourth round tie in arguably one of their poorest displays in the Spaniard's three months in charge.
Albion were 2-0 down inside half an hour with Sam Bell and Alex Scott on target and comfortably second best. Any hopes of a second-half fightback were extinguished as Bell dinked his second three minutes after the restart.
Corberan's side were comfortable Championship winners in Bristol just over a month ago but there was no repeat this time around. The away end sounded murmurs of discontent at both half-time and full-time at what their side - a mixture of regulars and squad players - offered up.
The Baggies had previously responded to each of the two league defeats under Corberan but it was not an ideal response to the late Burnley defeat two Fridays ago this time around.
Supporters looked on with intrigue at how Corberan would rotate his troops, such as during the previous round against Chesterfield, or otherwise.
The Spaniard went with a mix of regular and rotation and probably named a stronger outfit than many of an Albion perspective predicted.
It still consisted of five changes from the late defeat at Burnley eight days earlier.
In came David Button in goal, defensive duo Semi Ajayi and Adam Reach, Tom Rogic in an attacking role behind Karlan Grant, who joined Daryl Dike in leading the line.
They were introduced for Alex Palmer, Erik Pieters, Conor Townsend, John Swift - who missed out with a slight ankle problem - and Grady Diangana. Brandon Thomas-Asante returned from his three-game suspension to the bench.
Nigel Pearson's men had showed signs of improvement after their Boxing Day disappointment to Albion - the last time they had tasted defeat, six matches before they locked horns again.
They came through a tough third round replay at Swansea - Bell the hero in extra time - and found a way to stem regular league defeats. The Robins are set to lose star attacker Antoine Semenyo to Bournemouth, one of two home changes.
An empty top tier of the main stand - while visiting travelling numbers were up at 3,400 - pointed to more interest with the away side, but the contest would play out a different way.
Bristol City saw more of the ball early on and the Baggies found themselves losing out to second balls. An early scare behind the makeshift back four was flagged offside.
Albion did not survive next time around as the Robins took advantage of early pressure.
There were 12 minutes on the clock as Bell curled a fine right-footed finish across Button and in at the far post from the left side of the box after the visitors were unable to clear a short corner.
The strike was only possible, though, after at least two Baggies players left the clearance with one another and Bell stole in to convert in style.
The opener threatened to liven up Corberan's men. It looked at times early on like the visitors were in a 4-4-2 formation with Rogic out left and Grant further forward with Dike.
Ajayi was fortunate Button made a stop from Nakhi Wells after the defender leant into the striker but was unable to clear. Dara O'Shea recovered to bail out another Ajayi loose header later in the half.
One of Albion's only efforts of the first period was an Okay Yokuslu flicked header across goal from Reach's corner.
But moments after that the hosts had a second after slicing through the Baggies with ease. Albion's play was sloppy and a weighty Rogic pass had too much for Molumby, whose touch was poor and got away from the Irishman.
Mark Sykes was released down the right and his low cross was perfect for midfielder Scott to beat his yellow and green markers and covert from six yards.
The visitors tried to hit back as Dike found room in the box but his low effort, from a narrowing angle, was kept out by Max O'Leary's outstretched leg.
The away end voiced their discontent at the interval, where it was clear a big response was required.
It did not come. The head coach decided against changes but whatever was said failed to inspire his side and, within three minutes of the restart, Bell lifted his second cleverly in over Button from Sykes' cross at the near post.
Corberan rang the changes with a triple substitution after that, introducing Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Thomas-Asante and Diangana with Molumby, Dike and Rogic all withdrawn.
City were rarely troubled and used the ball well throughout. A free-kick whizzed narrowly past Button's post on the hour and Bell was denied a hat-trick as Button rushed out to meet him.
Albion's best from an attacking sense came in the final 20 minutes, in front of their travelling army, when the tie was long done as a contest.
Thomas-Asante's presence was a positive and he timed a run beyond the defence well. A stinging left-footed drive was somehow kept out thanks to O'Leary's excellent reactions.
The keeper was at his best seconds later to deny Yokuslu from point-blank range from the subsequent corner.
Jovan Malcolm, goalscorer in the recent Chesterfield replay, and fellow academy member Jamie Andrews were included in the squad and Malcolm enjoyed a lively cameo at the end on an another extremely disappointing afternoon in the south west for the Baggies.
Key moments:
12 - Goal Bristol City. 1-0. Sam Bell takes advantage of terrible hesitancy in the Albion box after a short corner goes uncleared. Green and yellow shirts leave it to one another and Bell punishes with aplomb with an excellent curled finish with his right foot across David Button.
28 - Goal Bristol City. 2-0. The hosts deservedly double their lead and have been well on top. Jayson Molumby loses it in midfield from Tom Rogic's pass and Mark Sykes delivers a perfect low ball from the right for Alex Scott to hammer home.
48 - Goal Bristol City. 3-0. The tie is done and dusted moments after the break. A lovely Sykes cross from the right is well collected by Bell and dinked over Button at the near post.
Teams
Bristol City (4-3-3): O'Leary; Tanner, Atkinson, Zyner, Dasilva (Taylor-Clarke, 88); Naismith, Scott (Francois, 86), James (c); Sykes, Wells (Williams, 75), Bell.
Subs not used: Haikin, King, Kalas, Kadji, Thomas.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Button; Furlong, O'Shea (c), Ajayi, Reach; Yokuslu (Livermore, 84), Molumby (Gardner-Hickman, 52); Wallace (Malcolm, 84), Rogic (Diangana, 52), Grant; Dike (Thomas-Asante, 52).
Subs not used: Palmer, Townsend, Pieters, Andrews.
Attendance: tbc
Referee: Matthew Donahue
