FULL TIME: Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion (aet; WBA win 4-3 on pens)
Such a brave effort from the League One side, who were every inch the entertainers their goal record suggested they would be. They were 19 minutes from victory, but West Brom fought their way back into it, battled through extra time, and held their nerve when it mattered. No, not quite the goalfest we hoped for, but end-to-end fun of the highest order. Congratulations to West Brom; commiserations to Posh. The FA Cup: it’s still got it, you know.
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 3-4 West Bromwich Albion: Angol has to score to keep Posh in it. A lazy, shuffling, stuttering run, and this one’s straight at Foster too. Underhit. He looks devestated. The Premier League side survive, and make it through to the fifth round!
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 3-4 West Bromwich Albion: Chester, who has scored in an FA Cup final for Hull against Arsenal, puts his top left.
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 3-3 West Bromwich Albion: Fox up next. And this one’s in the bottom-left corner, though Foster nearly got a hand to it.
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 2-3 West Bromwich Albion: Fletcher drags an appalling effort wide left! An awful kick from such an experienced player!
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 2-3 West Bromwich Albion: Samuelson has been excellent tonight. The 19-year-old takes a long run-up, and hits a weak effort straight at Foster’s legs. Oh dear.
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 2-3 West Bromwich Albion: Gardner lashes his into the bottom left.
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 2-2 West Bromwich Albion: Maddison stutters too, but puts his into the bottom left. Excellent.
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 1-2 West Bromwich Albion: Berahino slots his into the bottom right, after a stuttered run-up.
Updated
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion: Bostwick Ray Stewarts one straight down the middle.
PENALTIES: Peterborough United 0-1 West Bromwich Albion: West Brom go first. Pocognoli takes a short run-up, and slots it into the bottom right. A wonderful kick.
Updated
EXTRA TIME, FULL TIME: Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
And that’s the last amazing act of an amazing game. Had Berahino scored, it would have been undeserved heartbreak for Peterborough, who have been magnificent against Premier League opposition. As it is, we’re going to penalties! Who’ll be travelling to Reading for the fifth round? We’ll find out soon enough!
ET 30 min: They should have. Gardner curls high towards the far post. Alnwick comes to claim, but misses. Berahino, next to the left-hand post, must head home. But he heads down, across the face of goal, and wide right! What an astonishing miss!
ET 29 min: Sessegnon burns down the right and forces Fox into a cynical tug-back. Fox is booked. This is a free kick in a very dangerous position. Can West Brom do what West Ham did last night?
ET 28 min: Maddison powers down the left but can’t find a cross. Then a throw from the right, Angol backing into Olsson and claiming a penalty kick. Nope! Finally Maddison dinks a ball down the middle, very nearly springing Oztumer clear. Foster is out to the edge of his box to claim. Penalties are looming, but you wouldn’t bet against someone finding a dramatic winner.
ET 26 min: Gardner floats a long free kick into the Posh box from a central position. The ball drifts a little to the left. Olsson heads over from close range. This is wonderfully tense fun.
ET 24 min: How did this stay out?! Gardner, just inside the area, to the left of the D, lashes a rising shot goalwards. It looks unstoppable, but it gets stopped all right: Zakuani, on the line, gets a strong head to it, and clears! That would have put lesser men in a brace. What a clearance!
ET 23 min: And out of the maelstrom, a moment of near-genius. Samuelson keeps the ball in down the right wing; it looked like he had no chance of keeping that alive. Maddison is sent scampering down the wing. He makes to shoot hard, but then floats a clever chip from 25 yards. It beats Foster and very nearly drops in! Wow. That took super-cool nerves.
ET 22 min: It’s getting tense. A lot of hectic 50-50 challenges in the middle of the park.
ET 20 min: Maddison causes bother as he cuts inside and into the Baggies box from the left. His hard, low cross is blocked. Samuelson tries to re-ignite the move down the right, but can’t glide into the area.
ET 18 min: A tired Forrester comes crashing in on Gardner. It’s clumsy rather than malicious. Gardner wants him sent off, but it’s just a yellow. It’s awarded after play was waved on, as there’s a chance for Berahino on the edge of the Posh box. To the left of the D, he curls for the top right. But it’s overcooked.
Updated
ET 16 min: Sessegnon drives down the middle of the park, displaying some fine close control. He slips the ball to his left for Rondon, who blooters over from distance. Not good. Sessegnon has every right to have a moan, but keeps admirably quiet.
And we're off again!
Peterborough make another change: Oztumer comes on for the impressive but tiring Taylor.
EXTRA TIME, HALF TIME: Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
Samuelson has a lot of space in the middle of the park, and two team-mates on his left. Only one West Brom defender. But the pass out wide is lumped into the stand. Rondon bursts up the other end down the left. He enters the box but is stopped by a stunning last-ditch tackle by the ever-heroic Bostwick. Then the new boy Maddison makes off down the Posh left, but his low cross through the Baggies box is ahead of everyone. And that’s that for the first half of extra time. This game took a long time to warm up, but it’s hot, hot, hot now. Not quite the goalfest we predicted, but more than entertaining enough. Can anyone become a hero in the last period of extra time, or are we going to penalties?
ET 13 min: A long ball down the inside-right channel. Rondon chests down, turns, and whistles a screamer inches wide of the bottom-left corner. That’s a wonderful effort, carved out of nothing.
ET 12 min: Sessegnon busily wins a corner down the right. It’s whipped to the near post, where Olsson tries to bundle home. No.
ET 11 min: McClean has been relentless down this left wing. He reaches the byline, steps back upfield, turns, and lashes a low shot towards the bottom left. Bostwick blocks bravely.
ET 10 min: Beautyman is replaced by Maddison. The home support are in buoyant mood. They’re enjoying their side’s very entertaining display. West Brom have, for the most part tonight, been second best.
ET 9 min: Samuelson is brilliant. He Ricky Villas his way down the right at an insouciant speed. Four West Brom players try to get the ball off him. None succeed. He eventually works space for a shot from the edge of the box. His vicious riser only just clears the bar. What a run that was.
ET 7 min: Peterborough are riding their luck a little right now. McClean once again causes mayhem down the left. He finds Rondon in the box. Rondon pulls the ball back for Gardner, whose shot is blocked. The goal was gaping for a second there.
ET 6 min: McClean cuts in from the left and lays off to Fletcher, whose shot is deflected and loops up absurdly. Alnwick comes off his line and through a crowd. His punch clear doesn’t connect properly, but Bostwick is on hand to help with a header away from danger.
ET 4 min: Taylor is in an effervescent mood. He fizzes in from the left, his dribbles causing the West Brom back line all sorts of anxiety. He can’t quite work room for a shot this time, but the visitors can’t keep letting him run hither and yon like this.
ET 3 min: Taylor goes on a George Best-style dribble from the right wing to the left of the Baggies D. He lays off to Coulibaly, whose ambitious shot flies high and wide left.
ET 2 min: McClean cuts inside from the left and looks to have been bundled to the floor by Baldwin, but he’s not getting anything. That’d have been a free kick in a testing position.
And we're off again!
West Brom kick off, and Fletcher immediately gifts the ball to Taylor, who advances on the box but is bundled out of it. West Brom go up the other end, thought McClean down the left, and his low cross is guided left of the target by the in-rushing Sessegnon. What a pleasantly loose start to extra time!
FULL TIME: Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
Sessegnon executes a ludicrous dive as he attacks the Posh box from the right. Nope! Then up the other end, Samuelson tries a hail-mary shot from 35 yards. Nope! And that’s that! We’re going to extra time. Which was a prospect that didn’t seem too tasty after the first half, but that second period was brilliant fun, and the next 30 promises to be equally entertaining.
Updated
90 min +2: More faffing around. A strangely subdued end to a cracking second half.
90 min +1: A lot of faffing around.
90 min: Rondon enters the Posh area from the right and has a whack. Alnwick saves with his legs. There will be three minutes of stoppage time. Anyone for a dramatic winner?
89 min: Peterborough make their first change. Coulthirst is swapped in favour of Coulibaly.
88 min: But West Brom clearly don’t fancy extra time, because they finally apply a bit of pressure. A couple of corners on the left. Sessegnon nearly gets on the end of the first. Alnwick claims the second.
86 min: An amazing escape for Peterborough! Alnwick comes to the edge of his box and fails to gather under pressure from Sessegnon. He lets the ball squirt out to Berahino, who can shoot for an unguarded goal from 25 yards. His effort’s on target, but out of nowhere Bostwick starjumps in front of the ball. A wonderful last-ditch block!
Updated
85 min: Berahino drives down the middle before sliding the ball left for McClean. The wing back makes some space for a cross, but it’s a poor one and easily hacked clear by Zakuani.
83 min: Samuelson, out on the right, slips a ball inside for Coulthirst, who should take a shot from the edge of the area. He’s got time. But he hesitates, and is closed down. He slips the ball back to Samuelson, who returns it. Coulthirst has a go this time, but he doesn’t have half the opportunity he had before, and in a rushed panic, slaps a poor shot miles right. West Brom don’t look totally comfortable here.
81 min: Fox reaches the byline to the left of the West Brom goal. His cross is long. Beautyman tries to keep the attack going to the right of the area, but grabs a handful of McClean’s shirt, and the pressure’s off.
79 min: Beautyman goes down in the West Brom box, nudged gently in the back by Pocognoli. He’s not getting the penalty decision. The crowd claim it in the annoyed fashion, but the player doesn’t bother.
78 min: Coulthirst, out on the left, suddenly zips past Gamboa as he comes inside, and lashes an effort towards the bottom left. Foster claims easily enough, but that’s a decent burst of energy from the striker.
76 min: Sessegnon romps down the middle of the park, then slides a pass out right to Rondon, just inside the area. Rondon tries to float a chip from a over Alnwick and into the top left, but no Eric Cantona he.
75 min: Sessegnon has a belt from 20 yards, and it’s an outcome that’s only ever any good in rugby union.
74 min: Peterborough respond well to conceding the equaliser. Fox dribbles into the box down the left, and sends a low cross into the mixer. Someone’s got to poke home, surely? But nobody in blue can react, and eventually West Brom clear. Then Angol goes down in the box very optimistically. And finally Beautyman tries to curl one into the top right, but there’s no beef on the effort and Foster claims with a yawn.
GOAL! Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion (Fletcher 72)
So Having Said That pt.II: McClean runs down the left. His cross is only half-cleared by a Beautyman kung-fu kick. Fletcher comes in, and from the edge of the area unleashes an unstoppable rising shot into the top left! Magnificent strike! Pulitzer, please!
Updated
71 min: So having said that, West Brom nearly score one of the goals of the season. Gamboa makes off down the right, and pulls a cross back to Gardner, who is the best part of 30 yards out. He decides to Zidane a volley towards the top right, and it oh so nearly comes off, the ball creaming towards the corner and missing the right-hand post by inches. A stunning effort.
70 min: Taylor breaks into the box on the right and has a dig. The shot hits Pocognoli on the elbow. Taylor wants a penalty, but he’s not getting that. A corner on the right will have to do. And they nearly score from it. It’s hit deep. Bostwick aims a header for the top right. Olsson has to divert it over the crossbar. Another corner, this time on the left. Nothing comes of that one. But right now, if there’s to be a second goal in this match, there’s only one team scoring it, and that’s the hosts.
67 min: Olsson and Foster engage in a full and frank exchange of views. On the touchline, Tony Pulis looks on in amazement as his own team tear into each other. Peterborough have West Brom exactly where they want them right now, though of course there’s still a long way to go.
65 min: A bit of space for Gamboa on the right. He curls one into the box. Zakuani should clear, but heads weakly towards Berahino, then chases after it and clanks his jaw on the striker’s shoulder. Somehow he earns a free kick for this slapstick show, the pressure relieved. Everything’s going for Peterborough right now.
63 min: Samuelson sashays down the inside-right and threatens to break clear into the area. But a combination of Gamboa and Olsson hold him up. Just. He’s a very smooth mover, Samuelson.
62 min: Pulis makes a positive change. Yacob is replaced by Sessegnon.
60 min: End-to-end frolics all of a sudden. First Angol advances on the West Brom box and tries to curl a low one into the bottom right. Foster claims easily. Then McClean busies himself down the left and wins a corner for West Brom. The set piece is plucked from the sky by Alnwick. A little bit better from the Premier League side. But only a little. They really need to raise their game here, or it’s curtains.
59 min: A replay of the goal shows Taylor’s shot took a slight deflection off Chester’s boot. Perhaps it fooled Foster, but it didn’t seem to make too much difference. Let nothing be taken away from Taylor’s strike.
57 min: West Brom try to up the tempo by way of response, but they’re all over the shop. Passes aren’t sticking. Pocognoli, under no pressure whatsoever, sprays a ball deep into the stand down the right. The home fans are bouncing.
GOAL! Peterborough United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion (Taylor 55)
The shock’s on! And this had been coming. Angol is sent into acres down the right wing, McClean accidentally launching the attack with a poor pass back up his flank. Angol nears the box, then slides a pass across to Taylor, who has been romping down the inside-left flank. Chester doesn’t close him down, and Taylor flashes a shot across Foster and into the bottom right. London Road erupts! And it’s no more than the home side deserve.
Updated
53 min: Forrester floats a cross, or is it a shot, in from the right. Foster claims, but very nearly takes it over his goalline. Then the keeper throws the ball out of play on the right. West Brom look rattled.
51 min: Taylor, Fox and Samuelson cause West Brom no end of hassle down the left wing. They’re probing up and down the wing, cutting inside and back. The Premier League side can’t get the ball. This is very decent football. Eventually Fox bursts inside and lays off to Coulthirst, who attempts a Berahino-style gentle curler with his instep, looking for the top right. Not quite, but not far away either. It’s not been much of a match, but on balance, if anyone deserves to be in the lead, it’s Peterborough.
48 min: A very strong suspicion that the referee had left his cards in the dressing room during that first half. He had plenty of opportunity to book several players, but did nothing. Now Yacob barges fairly harmlessly into the back of Coulthirst, and he’s shown yellow. Persistent fouling, no doubt. The resulting free kick, from a central position, 30 yards out, is wafted into the arms of Foster by Taylor.
47 min: Fox slides a delightful ball down the left wing for Taylor, who reaches the byline and pulls back for Coulthirst. The striker, on the penalty spot with time, can’t quite get his feet sorted, and the chance is quickly gone. But that’s a fine move from the League One side.
And we're off again!
West Brom were sent out early, with a flea in their ear no doubt. Peterborough get the ball rolling, and will be hoping for another fast start. No changes.
Half-time advertisement: Courtesy of YouTvbe.
HALF TIME: Peterborough United 0-0 West Bromwich Albion
Hmm. Poor old BBC Sport can’t catch a break.
44 min: McClean crosses deep from the left. Olsson heads over from eight yards. Then another attack’s launched, allowing Berahino to attempt a curler towards the top right from the left-hand corner of the area. It’s wide and high. But West Brom have finally turned up.
41 min: It’s hit long, and drops to Chester on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He’s got to get a shot on target, but he shanks it. The ball flies off at a right angle, across the face of goal, before clanking off Fletcher’s arm and over the bar, volleyball style. Best chance of the match, but look at the state of it.
40 min: Baldwin and McClean crunch into each other on the halfway line, a thumping tackle, no quarter asked or given. Wallop. Cup-tie football, right here. Then Gardner bursts down the right and curls a cross over. Rondon misses his header at the near post. McClean sees his shot from a tight angle blocked at the far post. Corner. From which ...
Updated
37 min: That’s sparked Peterborough back into life. Taylor turns the jets on and zips down the left wing. It’s an astonishing run, and he reaches the byline uncontested. His low cross fizzes through the six-yard box, but nobody’s kept up with play and it’s a let-off for the Premier League side.
36 min: Suddenly, a moment of quality as West Brom explode forward. Foster hits a long clearance. Rondon, on the edge of the Peterborough box heads down for Berahino, who gently sends a rising sidefooter from 25 yards towards the top right. The ball whistles inches wide of the post. A brilliant effort. That looked in all the way. But not quite.
34 min: This has turned into a scrappy nonsense. Peterborough’s momentum has been lost. West Brom never had any.
32 min: Taylor slides in recklessly on Gardner in the midfield. No yellow. This is getting old now.
30 min: Baldwin goes sliding in on Gamboa, who is tearing clear down the left. That should be a booking too, but this referee is judging everything by the standards of the 1980s. Fair enough if he keeps it going all evening. Gardner, by the corner flag, whips the free kick low to the near post. Alnwick claims.
28 min: Samuelson escapes from a hole on the right wing with a stunning turn between McClean and Yacob. McClean slides in clumsily and misses his man; Yacob slides in clumsily and catches him. Yacob should be in the book, but this referee has forgotten his cards. On another day, West Brom could easily be already down to ten men with two men on yellows. The resulting free kick comes to nothing.
25 min: Peterborough have enjoyed 62% of the possession so far. They’re five attempts to one ahead too. West Brom are woefully unambitious so far.
23 min: Fox curls a magnificent dipper towards the far post. Bostwick is waiting to crash a header home, but Yacob has read it well and steps in front of his man to clear, just in time.
22 min: McClean trundles into the back of Samuelson, who was making good down the right. It’s a fairly cynical challenge, and the West Brom man really needs to watch his step here. The ref keeps his cards in his pocket. But this is a free kick in a dangerous position.
20 min: Peterborough are well on top. Angol plays a cute pass down the inside-right channel to release Beautyman into the area. He’s one on one with Foster, albeit facing a tight angle. Foster parries the shot, which then clanks off Olsson for a corner. The set piece comes to nothing. But if anyone’s scoring an opening goal here, it’s the League One side. West Brom have been not far short of dreadful so far.
19 min: Pocognoli gets on. Just in time as well, for Peterborough have a corner down the left. Fox’s delivery is appalling, though.
17 min: McAuley has twanged his hamstring while in hot pursuit of Coulthirst. He can’t continue. He departs the scene, and it takes his replacement Pocognoli a good two minutes to get his tracksuit off. And now the ball’s back in play, with no chance to get the sub on. Can you imagine how many litres of steam are coming out of Tony Pulis’s lugs?
15 min: A corner for West Brom on the left. It’s a total non-event. The home team are enjoying themselves here. They break upfield, and Fox has a lash from an absurd distance out on the left. Foster gathers easily enough, but the home side are obviously under orders to give it a go from all angles.
13 min: A free kick for Peterborough out on the left, and a chance to load the box. But the home side don’t hoick it long. Fox nudges the ball to the right for Forrester, who unleashes a screamer from 30 yards towards the bottom left. Ambitious, and nearly successful. Foster turns the ball round the post. And from the corner, Bostwick flicks an effort goalwards, shooting from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Foster parries, and the pressure’s relieved on West Brom as the ref blows for Baldwin’s gentle brush on Yacob.
Updated
11 min: Taylor charges down Yacob in the middle of the park, and zips towards the West Brom box with purpose. Once he’s 20 yards from goal, he takes a pop. The shot’s nothing special, trundling harmlessly left of the target, but otherwise that was top-notch pressing. Gegenposhing.
8 min: In the midfield, McClean comes straight through Samuelson with a fairly reckless tackle. It’s just a ticking off from the referee, but he’s fortunate not to go in the book there. A needlessly aggressive challenge. West Brom have come out swinging.
7 min: Samuelson goes on a wander down the left. He breaks into the box and crosses low for Beautyman, who is in a little space just inside the area. He opens his body and sidefoots towards the bottom left. That’s heading in, with Foster’s feet planted, but Chester arrives from nowhere to spread himself a block. Brilliant defence.
5 min: Peterborough get their foot on the ball for the first time in the match. Angol causes Foster a little bother as he chases down a long ball. Then Taylor bursts down the right, and wins a corner off Gardner. There’s a bit of pinball in the box. The ball breaks out to Fox on the right. He batters a wild shot into his own man Coulthirst, and the ball twangs out for a goal kick on the right. A lively enough start to this game.
2 min: A free kick to the Baggies out on the left. McClean to take. Both teams fill the box. McClean’s low curler is dangerous, but somehow makes its way through the thicket and out of play on the right. In the melee, Gardner pops his elbow lightly in Coulthirst’s face. No power in it, but that’s deliberate and if the referee had seen it, well. Gardner’s a very lucky boy.
And we're off!
West Brom get the match underway. Berahino slips the ball out to the right wing. Yacob slips the ball over to the left, where McClean has a probe. Nothing doing yet. But West Brom immediately on the front foot.
The teams are out! An anticipatory FA Cup atmosphere at London Road. Peterborough are in their blue shirts, forcing West Brom into their red-and-black change strip. We’ll be off in a minute!
And now the Baggies boss Tony Pulis: “We know it’s going to be a tough game. We know how difficult it is. I love the FA Cup, I love the competition, I just wanna be in it, and try to win the game. We tried to win the game at home, but missed lots of chances. They’re going to be right up for it. It’s going to be a great atmosphere. My lads are going to give it a go.”
Posh manager Graham Westley speaks. “My players are an ambitious bunch, but they know we’re playing very good opposition who have got a front-line team on the pitch, and they know it isn’t going to be easy.” What of his former experiences at Stevenage, where he oversaw a side that put out Newcastle in 2011? “It spreads confidence, my players know it can be done, and they know that I knew what it took to make that happen. But the one thing we all know is that top players are top players for a reason, you underestimate them at your peril.”
Peterborough make five changes to the team that held on for a 1-0 win at Chesterfield with nine men. Michael Smith and Ricardo Santos are suspended, Tom Nichols is ineligible, and Harry Toffolo and Erhun Oztumer drop to the bench. Stepping up: Martin Samuelsen, Gabriel Zakuani, Andrew Fox, Jack Baldwin and Harry Beautyman.
West Brom make three changes to the side that went down 1-0 at Newcastle United. The injured Craig Dawson, ineligible Sandro and benched Victor Anichebe miss out; Cristian Gamboa, Salomon Rondon and Saido Berahino move on up.
Tonight's teams
Peterborough United: Alnwick, Samuelsen, Zakuani, Fox, Baldwin, Forrester, Taylor, Beautyman, Bostwick, Angol, Coulthirst.
Subs: Ntlhe, Oztumer, Maddison, Da Silva Lopes, Henry, Coulibaly, Toffolo.
West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Chester, McAuley, Olsson, Gamboa, Gardner, Yacob, Fletcher, McClean, Rondon, Berahino.
Subs: Anichebe, Myhill, Pocognoli, Sessegnon, Ward, Roberts, Leko.
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).
Good evening!
Here’s a match which has all the makings of a goalfest. The League One hosts first. Peterborough have scored more league goals this season than any other club in the country bar one: 54 to Gillingham’s 55. Meanwhile in the FA Cup, they’ve been banging them in at a rate of 2.25 goals per match: a 3-0 win at in-form Burton, 2-0 home wins over Luton and Preston, and most impressively of all, two late equalisers in the first match of this tie, a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns. West Brom watch out!
A side managed by Tony Pulis – who unashamedly preaches caution first – can’t be expected to match that scoring rate. Albion have only scored 23 goals in 25 league games this season, and that first cup tie against Peterborough aside, have only found the net twice in their last five games. But look at it another way. On their last four visits to London Road, West Brom have won 2-0, 3-0, 2-0 and 3-2. Meanwhile they’ll definitely be playing Saido Berahino tonight, and in his last six FA Cup outings, he’s scored eight times and had a hand in four other goals! A one-man Peterborough, if you will.
West Brom will be hoping to make it five away wins in a row against Peterborough. The Posh, meanwhile, who are looking to reach the fifth round for the first time in 30 years, want to build on a stat that’s seen them lose just one of their last nine at home. Can they become the second League One club, after Shrewsbury Town, to make it to the last 16? It’s the FA Cup. It’s the fourth round. And it’s very much on!
Kick off: 7.45pm GMT.
Updated
