Olsson double helps Baggies to win
Jonas Olsson scored twice as West Brom moved to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship table with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Doncaster at The Hawthorns.
Roberto Di Matteo's side fell behind early on when 20-year-old forward Waide Fairhurst scored on his first start for Rovers.
But Olsson powered home a header from a Graham Dorrans corner to bring Albion level in the 19th minute, before converting another Dorrans set-piece to give his side the lead.
Substitute Chris Wood then added a third goal late on to kill off any hopes of a Doncaster comeback.
The victory maintains Albion's unbeaten start to the season and puts them a point ahead of Newcastle and Middlesbrough at the summit, although the Magpies do have a game in hand.
Doncaster slip to 17th, having taken seven points from their opening seven fixtures.
Baggies boss Di Matteo made just one change in personnel from the side that beat Plymouth 3-1 at the weekend, bringing in Robert Koren at the expense of Simon Cox. Koren's introduction also signalled a change of formation, with Roman Bednar operating as a lone frontman.
Doncaster handed a full debut to recent loan signing Billy Sharp, while fellow forward Fairhurst was also handed his first start for the club in the absence of injured duo James Coppinger and James Hayter.
The hosts started the game brightly, but it was Rovers who took the lead in the seventh minute as Sharp latched onto John Oster's cross before teeing up Fairhurst to sweep home from six yards.
The Baggies then suffered a further blow as Marek Cech - who scored twice against Plymouth - picked up an injury and was replaced by Jerome Thomas.
But they soon pulled level when Olsson leapt highest to head Dorrans' corner into the net.
The Baggies had the better of the remainder of the half, with Shelton Martis heading over from another Dorrans corner and Chris Brunt testing goalkeeper Neil Sullivan with one free-kick and firing narrowly wide with another.
But Doncaster, who lost Gareth Roberts to injury shortly after the half hour, remained a threat and came close themselves when Stock fired wide from the edge of the area following a poor punch from Scott Carson.
Rovers began the second half on the front foot, with Martin Woods testing Carson with an attempted lob from around 40 yards.
Stock also saw a free-kick drift over the bar, while at the other end the hosts were left largely frustrated in their attempts to carve out a clear-cut chance in open play.
In the end, Albion were left to rely on another set-piece to bring an end to Doncaster's defiance as Olsson headed an inswinging Dorrans free-kick back across Sullivan and into the far corner.
Adam Lockwood missed a golden chance to snatch an equaliser for Rovers with 11 minutes remaining when he nodded a Woods corner inches wide.
And Wood made the visitors pay as he lashed home a stunning 25-yarder in the 85th minute.
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PaulC critising the Baggies, i must be drunk *hic
BUT we played badly and got 3 points, lets hope thats the bad game out of the way but boro away coming up, and to me its them or us for 2nd place, i think the toon army will steamroller this division with who they have
Bednar was OK, but tonight he didnt go in many tackles ALWAYS pulled out of them
Olson, silly booking, and left no uncertain terms who he thought was not doing their job with ALL his expletives near the end of 1st half, shocking language for ALL to hear
Dorrans tonight reminded me of the typical Koumas play, just tried to hard to impress after a good performance on the weekend, and defence, where where they for the goal ? sadly missing, awol, and nearly got caught again in 2nd half from another good corner kick, OH to be good at corners and throw ins
Anyways we top again for another 20 hours, lets hope for GOOD football on saturday, THAT will show uis WHO is good enough to return to the top shelf
Who said we have to play well to win! Ground out victory against a spirited Donnie side that came to frustrate and actually played some decent football with no killer instinct (Apart from Goal) Watching Doncaster was like watching us last season, better team first half yet go in level then over-powered in the second half.
My Ratings: -
Carson - 7 - Handling was good, kicking excellent, quiet night
Zuiverloon - 6 - Never looked comfy, hardly got forward, i've said it before...hates playing with brunt
Mattox - 4 - Is really starting to worry me, shocking first touch, terrible distribution, Cech @ LB?
Olsson - 8 - Excellent 2 goals, defended well, won every header
Martis - 9 - My M.O.M, his reading of the game was superb, great defensive cover when needed
Cech - 6 - Injured after 5 mins, hardly had a touch
Dorrans - 5 - Awful first half, improved second, not a touch on recent performances.
Mulumbu - 7 - Distribution wasn't always great but boy would we miss him if he didn't play
Koren - 2 - One of the worst performances i've ever seen in an albion shirt, looked like he didn't know where he was playing, didn't tackle, pass or drive the team on, simply shocking Robert.
Brunt - 6 - I've said it before I don't think he looks match fit, struggles to defend, never really got involved
Bednar - 8 - Worked tirelessly for very little reward, never let there defence settle
Subs:
Wood - 7 - Simply stunning finish, one of the best i've seen for a long time, keep em coming chris!
Thomas - 7 - Again worked hard but got little reward from chambers (Remember him?), won free kick for second goal, does like to go down when he's touched
Tex - 5 - Had about 2 minutes, basically tactical
RDM: I have to admit I think we got away with it a little tonight, Dorrans, Koren and Mulumbu simply does not work, we have to play 4-4-2 when possible. Against a more ruthless team we defo would have lost but three points is three p
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