Sports

West Brom regain Championship lead as Swansea stunned by Stoke

October 05, 2019
West Brom returned to winning ways and went top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 4-2 win against Cardiff. — Courtesy photo
West Brom returned to winning ways and went top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 4-2 win against Cardiff. — Courtesy photo

LONDON — West Brom surged back to the top of the Championship with a 4-2 win against Cardiff, while previous leaders Swansea crashed to a shock defeat against Stoke on Saturday.

Albion raced into a three-goal lead at the Hawthorns as Charlie Austin scored his first league goal for Slaven Bilic's side after first-half strikes from Matheus Pereira and Grady Diangana.

Danny Ward's late double for Cardiff made things nervy for Albion until Romaine Sawyers scored the hosts' fourth goal deep into stoppage time.

"We produced some breathtaking football. But there is a 'but' because in this league opponents never give up and we have to manage the game better at 3-0," Bilic said.

"Afterwards I criticized the players but also told them they should be proud. It's early days but we have something really good to build on."

Scott Hogan's 90th-minute winner gave Stoke their first victory of the season in dramatic fashion with a 2-1 triumph at Swansea.

Nathan Jones watched Stoke fall behind in the opening minute to Andre Ayew's first Liberty Stadium goal since 2016.

But their spirited fightback will give under-fire boss Jones hope of a revival after former Swansea midfielder Sam Clucas equalized midway through the first half.

It looked like Stoke were going to miss the chance to end their 10-game winless run until Hogan found the back of the net in the 90th minute.

Nottingham Forest stretched their unbeaten league run to 10 games with a 1-0 win over Brentford.

Ben Watson, deputizing as skipper with Michael Dawson sidelined, had not scored for three-and-a-half years prior to his strike that beat Barnsley a fortnight ago.

The former Crystal Palace midfielder was again the difference against the Bees, scoring a stunning 12-yard volley in the 56th minute to lift Forest up to second in the table, level on points with West Brom.

Millwall began life after Neil Harris by ending their eight-game wait for a league victory with a 2-1 win against 10-man Leeds at The Den.

The Lions, who had first-team coach Adam Barrett in charge following Harris' decision to stand down as manager earlier this week, went in front thanks to Jed Wallace's early penalty, which saw Gaetano Berardi dismissed.

Tom Bradshaw's second goal in two games, and first ever goal at home for the club, doubled Millwall's lead just before half-time.

Ezgjan Alioski reduced the deficit in the first minute of the second half, but the Lions held on to record their first league victory since August and a ninth win in their last 11 home games against Leeds.

"The result should be different. Each time we lose always I find few logical reasons to justify it," Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa moaned.

Millwall climb up to 15th, while Leeds drop out of the automatic promotion spots and are down to fifth.


October 05, 2019
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