1. Freestone
2. Price
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. Smith
6. O'Leary
7. Jenkins
8. Boyd
9. Watkin #
10. Roberts @
11. Thomas

    ---

12. Jones J
13. Phillips
14. Keegan @ (84)
15. Mutton # (70)
16. Mumford

 WBA

1. Jensen
2. Lyttle
3. Butler
4. Carbon
5. Clement
6. J. Chambers
7. McInnes
8. Oliver
9. Taylor
10. Hughes
11. Roberts *

    ---

12. Sneekes * (83)
13. Adamson
14. Quinn
15. Richards
16. A. Chambers

A surprising 4758 turned up for what is traditionally a poorly attended match. WBA looked to have brought 2-300 down with them.

John Hollins revamped the side with several positional changes. Out from Saturday were Jones, Coates and Cusack and JH selected a 4-4-2 formation as follows

Freestone
Price - Bound - Smith - Howard
Roberts - O'Leary - Thomas - Jenkins
Watkin - Boyd

Subs: Jones J, Keegan, Phillips, Mutton, Mumford

Swans had an excellent first half with lots of penetrating runs down the right flank from Price and Roberts. The final ball in though was often lacking something and, when it wasn't, there was no-one well positioned in the middle to take advantage.

WBA had spent £3m on their squad in the close season and were looking very ordinary. In fact, on their first half showing they had "relegation" written through them like a stick of rock. They were clumsy, second to the ball and frequently conceded corners and throw ins when under very little pressure.

Roger caused panic in his team mates and the crowd when he twice went walkabout outside his area. A clear opportunity on an open goal was extravagantly wasted by the WBA beneficiary of Roger's generosity.

Despite their dominance, Swansea created few clear cut openings - but the tempo from Swansea was the best I have seen for quite a while.

Half-time 0-0

Second half was a different story with WBA taking the game by the scruff of the neck and allowing Swansea no time to settle into the neat flowing pattern evident in the first period.

From Swansea side, it was long fairly aimless balls down the channels which Walter tried hard to make something of but to no avail. Very few balls made it out to Roberts on the right, but when one did, he did have tidy shot at goal from out wide.

Swansea were denied a penalty when the impressive and hard working Jenkins went down the left and saw his cross charged down by the uplifted arms of the WBA right back. Puzzlingly the referee awarded a corner - so he must have seen that the ball hit the player's arm but decided it was an accidental charge down.

Thomas, Watkin, and Bound all received yellow cards for fouls commited. Swansea changed Mutton with Thomas and later Keegan with Roberts but the game continued in bitty fashion with neither team creating anything of worth.

Main talking point came in the final minutes when Bound was adjudged to have fouled Taylor who clambered all over him and fell theatrically to the floor just outside the box. Bound was furious that the ref had allowed himself to be conned by this and was in danger of receiving a 2nd yellow for protesting.

When the kick was taken, it cannoned into the wall and away to safety but the ref, quite rightly, booked Keegan for encroaching at the free kick and the offence was moved forward 10 yards to the penalty spot.

With Swansea and WBA players packing the Swansea line, it was going to take something special for the indirect free kick to amount anything more than a bit of excitement - and so it proved. The inconsistency of refreees was once again exposed when Mike Howard encroached to within 3 yards of the tapped kick but no further action was taken.

The referee's whistle put many of the supporters out of their 2nd half misery and it was difficult to tell whether the pockets of booing fron the North Bank were aimed at the ref or out of frustration at a 3rd 0-0 result.

We may score one day and we may not but we had several good chances tonight with Watkin missing a one-on-one with the keeper and Price failing to throw himself at a Bound header across the goal.

The Swans lined up with Jenkins on the left for Coates and Price at the back instead of Steve Jones - O'leary coming back into the middle for Cusack. Stuart Roberts starting wide right.

Tonight, I had the opportunity to watch the game from the centre stand as opposed to the NB and it is surprising how different you see the game from there.

Sat just behind the dug out - Hollins is very animated and shouts alot of instructions - the main problem being is you have trouble hearing them just behind him so whether they can hear them on the pitch is a different matter.

Onto the game itself - West Brom were yet another side that we did not look in awe of nor did they create or threaten with clear cut goal scoring chances.

Our defence seems to be getting stronger by the week and very few chances are taken at the back. Price, however seemed to look out of position (which he was) at right back and West Brom threatened down that side first half without really getting anywhere.

Our front line of Watkin and Boyd got little change out of the Baggies defence bar a couple of sublime pieces of Boyd skill and the above mentioned chance for Watkin.

In truth, goalscoring opportunities were at a premium and with the lack of a clinical striker on our side we failed to take what were the best chances of the game.

Under 5000 at the Vetch was not surprising as the Worthington cup is becoming more of a hinderance than a benefit to most teams. I fully expect us to be beaten at the Hawthorns in a fortnight but it depends whether they are 'up for it' or not.

On the talk of a new striker - if £2m buys you someone like Jason Roberts then I'll take Walter Boyd any day thank you.

Mutton came on second half to a warm reception from the 3 members of his fan club sat just along from me and ran about a bit without actually looking like doing anything.

We may score a goal one day - hopefully it'll be Saturday - the defence is as strong as it can be but 46 clean sheets in the league is beyond even thri capabilities.

In summary - we didnt look out of place and could with some better finishing have won the game.

PLAYER RATINGS

ROGER FREESTONE: Held everything that was thrown at him but forced to go walkabout on several occasions after mistakes by his hesitant defenders; 7/10

JASON PRICE: Definitely not a full-back but effective when going forward; 6/10

MICHAEL HOWARD: Showed last night why he is arguably the weak link of usual back four; 5/10

JASON SMITH: Again solid but his distribution let him down last night; 7/10

MATTHEW BOUND: Solid and dependable as always; 8/10

STUART ROBERTS: Lively and always a threat against a good defence, though his crossing wasn't up to his usual high standard last night; 7/10

MARTIN THOMAS: His usual tough and aggresive performance. Unlucky to be booked last night; 7/10

KRIS O'LEARY: Out of his depth; 4/10

LEE JENKINS: Playing well this season and another impressive performance last night. He now seems to have recaptured his early career form; 8/10

STEVE WATKIN: Again failed to impress and missed a glorious chance when he had only the keeper to beat; 4/10

WALTER BOYD: His workrate was more impressive last night than on Saturday. Superb close control but still not hitting the target; 7/10

SUBSTITUES

TOMMY MUTTON (for Steve Watkin): Told to 'unleash Hell' by John Hollins when sent on but merely buzzed around without really penetrating; 6/10

MICHAEL KEEGAN (for Stuart Roberts): Not yet ready for this level; 3/10 Listers' view #4 - Roger Williams

Another beautiful summer evening at the vetch and plenty of expectations from the 4,758 crowd which included about 300 Baggies fans.

We started with our usual 4-4-2 formation with Albion starting with a 4-3-3 A couple of surprises no Steve Jones and no Cusack, I can only assume they were either rested or injured.

My impressions on our players performances.

FREESTONE: Good handling as ever but as I've said before Rog likes to give our fans the odd heart murmour. He duly obliged on a couple of occasions, on 8 mins he was left stranded outside the box after chasing for the ball but the baggies shot wide of an open goal. Again on 38 mins, Smith was caught in possesion, Rog came charging out but fortunately nothing came of it.On 10 mins Rog made a good diving save to his left from a Hughes shot after he combined well with Jason Roberts.Again on 63 mins Roberts turned from his back to goal forcing Rog to dive pushing the ball away to his right.On 74 mins JJ gave the ball away to Taylor who forced Rog again into a low dive to his right for a corner.So a fairly busy night for Wale's no1 all in all. 8/10

HOWARD: Nothing spectacular from Mike tonight just solid defending as and when required.With 3 upfront for Albion he didn't have many opportunities to come forward.

PRICE:Back in the full back's position tonight with the absence of Steve Jones. JJ contained a lively Lee Hughes well in the first 20 mins. On 18 mins produced a superb tackle on Roberts played the ball wide with perfection to Jenkins who forced a corner for us. Got caught a couple of times with careless distribution and in possesion but another strong performance from JJ tonight. 7/10

SMITH: Probably one of the most challenging matches for Jason for a few matches now.Solid as ever in the air but got caught in possesion a couple of times.One panic moment saw him mis hit a clearance and send the ball just over Rog,s crossbar. Albion were swapping and changing there front three around most of the match and this seemed to unsettle Jason a bit as he was forced to cope with a different player on each Albion attack. 7/10

BOUND: Seemed more comfortable tonight than Smith and commanded our back line well during one or two testing times. On 78 mins Boundy found space on the far post from a Thomas free kick and headed well but just wide of the Albion left hand post. Booked on 79 mins for what I considered a soft foul. 8/10

JENKINS: Lee battled hard tonight and in terms of committment gave 100%.He made plenty of space for himself down the left hand side combining well with our central midfield players. Provided one or two telling crosses into the Albion box. Had a header well saved by the Albion keeper from a Roberts cross inside the first 2 mins. 7/10

THOMAS: Another battling performance tonight from Martin, got his mandatory yellow card on 28 mins for a sliding tackle from behind on Bob Taylor.Any 50-50 ball in the middle tonight was always going to be his.7/10

O'LEARY: Kris found Jenkins and Stu Roberts well at times with some good long passes.Still have to question his fittness and mobility at time though. 6/10

ROBERTS: What a breath of fresh air tonight, super Stu battled tirelessly down the right hand side often having to cope with two opponants at a time. Albion recognised early on that this lad was going to be a handfull tonight. An array of crosses from Stu tonight but no arial power to convert any of them except when O'LEARY and Stu combined well, Stu finding Jenks perfectly for the header to be saved by Jenson. Substituted on on 83 mins WHY ??????? 9/10

WATKIN: On 28 mins Stevo had a one on one with the Albion keeper who in fairness closed him down quickly clearing with his legs.Got a yellow card on 57 mins for a foul just outside the Albion box. Not a particularly lively game from Stevo, but he Stu and Walter combined well at time with quite a few on the ground passes.Replaced by Mutton after 79 mins. 6/10

BOYD: Showed some good first touches tonight combining well with Stu and Watkin.One pass in particular took the crowds breath away, from a good 50yds he found Watkins foot precisely.Another touch of magic when he turned on an Albion defender,square pass to Stu who shot straight at the keeper. 7/10

MUTTON: Had a lively 11 mins but failed to create anythong that was clear cut.5/10

KEEGAN: Gave the ball away twice in the first two minutes he was on the field.On 89 mins Swans conceded a free kick on the edge of the box. The referee then preceded to utilise the 10 yard law because Keegan showed dessent, not the best of 7 mins football I've seen from him. 4/10.