West Bromwich Albion continued to re-establish their momentum as they extended their lead at the top of the Championship with a resolute 2-1 win over Reading. It took a recovery from an early Reading penalty, converted by George Puscas, with Matheus Pereira drawing West Brom level before Kyle Bartley’s header won it.
What a strange few months this has been for West Brom. After flitting to the top of the league in a shower of dazzling passing combinations and generally delightful football, by the end of January they were in a slump of seven league games without a win, their ruthless dominance replaced by tepid form that pushed them from their perch at the top.
After an edgy but necessary win over wobbling Luton, Slaven Bilic was intoxicated with joy after his team’s handling of Millwall on Sunday which seemed to put them back on track. It wasn’t their typical, technical excellence that most pleased Bilic, but rather the way they stood up to the classic Millwall physicality with their own brand of grit and vitality.
The visitors arrived at the Madejski Stadium expecting a positive result, yet the early moments were a reminder that nothing ever goes quite as expected in the Championship. The away side dominated early possession but it was a quiet Reading that made the first immediate breakthrough after a handball by Bartley from a Reading corner in the 10th minute. Although Bartley did not appeal, he had reason to feel hard done by after the ball struck his flailing hand as he was pulled down. Puscas offered little sympathy, sending Reading goalkeeper Sam Johnstone the wrong way from the spot.
Reading immediately dropped back and looked to contain West Brom without doing much else and were immediately punished. Bilic’s side shrugged off the first goal and consistently carved through the Reading defence, generating numerous chances before the magical Pereira equalised. After a solid cross from the left by Callum Robinson, Pereira reacted first, and although his first shot was parried, he made sure his second shot was not coming back.
By the end of the first half, West Brom’s 14 shots reflected their dominance and it only continued into the second half with a suffocating assault on the Reading goal. First Filip Krovinovic very nearly pulled them ahead immediately after the break, then Robinson’s wicked strike cannoned off the crossbar and seemed to shake the entire stadium.
Suddenly, the West Brom side were throwing in backheels, pressing relentlessly and partying like it was 2019 as the beginning of the second half was played entirely in Readings’s half. It was the man responsible for the Reading penalty who stepped up to put them in the lead, Bartley eradicating all memories of his handball with a header that seemed to float towards the goal for an age before flying over Rafael to move the visitors ahead.
But defending from Reading was organised and they impressively rode the wave and kept West Brom’s lead to only one goal. As the second half settled, Reading created some chances of their own. Pelé sauntered into the box and very nearly produced something special, then John Swift carved open the West Brom defence and generated anxiety with one pass, Johnstone flying out of his box to frantically clear the danger.
Reading thought their resolve had finally yielded an equaliser after a brilliant header from Yakou Méïté, but it was ruled offside. In the end, it was tough, but West Brom held on to move six points clear at the top of the Championship.
Clearly, the past few months have been a learning curve for this West Brom side, a reminder that none of this is easy. No matter how skilful or how well-drilled a team is, tenaciousness and resilience is mandatory in any long title run. They have shown it so far this month and a return to the Premier League will only require more.