WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Dorrans 90)
BARNSLEY 1 (Colace 59)

BARNSLEY ended their season on a massive high as they produced one of the performances of the campaign to dampen West Brom's promotion party at The Hawthorns. It could and probably should have been more than just the one point.

The Reds ended what had really been a rollercoaster of a Championship campaign looking to crash West Brom's promotion party at the Hawthorns. There were changes to the side again as Mark Robins hoped to end a recent run of poor results which had taken a little of the shine from what had been an outstanding recovery to secure safety.

In came Ryan Shotton and Carl Dickinson while Stephen Foster and Luke Potter dropped to the bench. Darren Moore skippered the Reds against his former side and received a fantastic ovation from the Baggies faithful ahead of kick off. Luke Steele, another ex-West Brom star, was also given a great reception from the home supporters. Homegrown youngsters Luke Potter, Alastair Taylor and Jamil Adam were amongst the substitutes. Reds keeper Luke Steele

Barnsley started brightly and Bobby Hassell and Hugo Colace had West Brom rocking a little with three minutes on the clock. The ball dropped nicely for Martin Devaney in the area but the winger dragged his low shot through a crowd of players and wide of Scott Carson's goal. It was a positive moment for the men from Oakwell.

Moore then did brilliantly well at the other end two minutes later to deny Roman Bednar as the Baggies striker looked to turn and shoot in the area.

Giant Baggies defender Jonas Olsson had the better of his marker on eight minutes as he rose under pressure to meet Graham Dorrans' corner but his header looped high over the top. West Brom were quickly getting a foothold in the game and Chris Brunt had Steele scrambling on nine minutes as he cut in from the left before smashing a shot inches wide of the far post.

Barnsley should have grabbed the lead though seconds later at the other end as Hugo Colace broke well and found Iain Hume in the centre but the striker opted to turn and shoot when Devaney and Jon Macken were better placed an unmarked to his left. Jacob Butterfield smashed a shot into a crowd as the ball broke to the edge of the box.

Devaney was in the thick of it again in the Albion area on 12 minutes as he stole a yard to meet Hassell's cross but his goalbound header smacked into Gabriel Tamas and the chance went begging. It was an end to end start to a game played in a real party atmosphere and the Reds were certainly giving it their all in the opening exchanges.

Bednar created and wasted a decent opportunity on 14 minutes as he broke well into the area but lashed a shot high over the bar.

Shotton had to be alert to deny Bednar on 15 minutes before the Reds again had West Brom struggling six minutes later as Iain Hume and Devaney delivered dangerous crosses into a crowded area that the home side just about managed to get away.

The loudest cheer of the first half came from the Barnsley fans on 26 minutes as news of Alan Lee's opener for Crystal Palace at Sheffield Wednesday filtered through.

There was a worrying moment for Moore on 28 minutes as he struck his clearance into Dorrans and it looked as though West Brom would be in on goal but the ball rebounded to Steele.

West Brom should have been in front on 38 minutes as Bednar and Dorrans combined to split open the Reds defence and give Brunt a tap in at the back stick but the ex-Sheffield Wednesday winger somehow hammered the ball wide. At the other end Hume was only a foot or so away from testing Carson with a curler from 22 yards but his effort flew over the top.

Butterfield then almost netted a spectacular goal on 44 minutes as Colace and Macken combined brilliantly to give the youngster a yard of space on the edge of the box but his audacious flick looped wide of the target.

Macken then bought a save from Carson seconds later after volleying goalward from the edge of the area but his effort was never really going to trouble the Baggies keeper.

There was a renewed vigour and inventiveness about the Reds and they opened a gap in the Albion ranks again just seconds after the restart as Macken did well to give Colace half a chance but the Argentine put his left-footer high over the top.

A towering header clear by Moore then gave Hume the chance to turn and shoot from distance on 53 minutes but the striker's effort was never going to trouble Carson's goal.

At the other end a totally uncharacteristic slip by from the otherwise impeccable Shotton gave Bednar the chance to break goalward on 55 minutes but the striker's effort flew high, wide and nowhere near the target. James Morrison then found the back of the stand moments later after trying his luck from distance.

The Reds could have been awarded a penalty on 58 minutes as Devaney nipped in between Steven Reid and Robert Koren and was tripped right on the chalk. It didn't matter as from Butterfield's fine free kick Colace arrived unmarked to steer a low shot past Carson and into the back of the net.

Steele then gave West Brom a little reminder of just what they let go two minutes later as he threw himself full length to claw Koren's thunderbolt out of the top corner. It was a stunning save from the Barnsley number one.

West Brom had a great chance to get back on level terms on 65 minutes when Hassell gave away a harsh free kick right on the edge of the box. Brunt wasted the chance and put his effort high over the bar.

Brunt was the provider on 70 minutes as his corner dropped nicely for Ishmael Miller to attack but the Baggies substitute again found Steele in fine form. Another Brunt corner gave Olsson half a chance in the area on 73 minutes but the giant defender could not get a difficult volley on target.

Referee Michael Oliver came to the Baggies aid on 75 minutes as he deflected Nathan Doyle's pass into the path of Morrison to allow the home side to break. In the end Miller could only bring another smart stop from Steele.

Brunt's delivery from the left was a growing cause of concern for the Reds and West Brom were almost level as another corner was flicked on by Olsson but Koren could not apply a finish at the back post.

Moore received a tremendous standing ovation from all sides of the Hawthorns as he made way on 77 minutes, to be replaced by Potter. Barnsley were undone on 81 minutes as Bednar made his way down the left to cross but Koren sliced his shot woefully wide of the target with the goal gaping.

It could have been even better for Barnsley on 83 minutes as Devaney skipped away down the left to cross but Macken saw his goalbound header deflect off Youssouf Mulumbu and away for a corner.

Bednar gave Shotton the runaround on 87 minutes to race away down the left and cross but Miller somehow missed his kick in the middle and another great chance went begging for the Albion.

Dorrans smashed a free kick into the wall on 88 minutes before the Scot threatened to ruin his afternoon by aiming a swinging arm at Hume as the Reds striker looked to clear the danger. Referee Oliver, who was stood yards away, gave nothing except a corner.

Barnsley's resistance was finally broken deep in stoppage time and it was bitterly unfortunate for Mark Robins' outstanding side. Bednar did the damage again breaking down the left and his cross somehow made it through a crowd of legs and to Dorrans, who fired past Steele.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION: Carson, Reid (Miller 62), Cech (Mattock 45), Olsson, Tamas, Koren, Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Cox (Morrison 53), Bednar.
Subs: Keily, Meite, Wood, Barnes.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Hassell, Shotton, Moore (Potter 77), Dickinson, Devaney, Colace, Doyle, Butterfield, Macken, Hume.
Subs: Preece, Gray, Foster, Kozluk, Taylor, Adam.

REFEREE
Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
ASSISTANT REFEREES
Kevin Mattocks (Lancashire) and Dave Naylor (Nottinghamshire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL
Peter Davies (Cheshire)

Match Report By Rob Knowles.

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