VAR controversial as Baggies scrape past Brighton

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Kyle Bartley’s early header gave West Brom three points at The Hawthorns.

The Baggies began the match with intensity. The aerial threat of Mbaye Diagne and Matt Phillips was causing havoc early on, despite Brighton’s distinct height superiority.

Kyle Bartley took advantage early on from West Brom’s third set-piece of the match, with a delightful glanced header past a despairing Robert Sanchez.

The visitors grew more into the first-half, creating a few half chances before being awarded a penalty by VAR. New signing Okay Yokuslu penalised for handball in the area.

Pascal Gross stepped up, but the German stuttered and struck the crossbar firmly. A let-off for West Brom, but it wouldn’t be the only controversy in the first 45.

Brighton were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous vicinity, with Lewis Dunk firing home a quickfire low-driven effort past Sam Johnstone to level for Brighton. That’s the tip of the iceberg.

Lee Mason blew his whistle twice, originally disallowing the goal, then allowing it, then disallowing again via the Video Assistant.

It isn’t the first time that Mason himself has been a serious error this season – with Nuno Espirito Santo and Ralph Hasenhuttl previously voicing their displeasure at the Lancastrian’s decision-making.

The free-kick was subsequently retaken, with Dunk firing straight at Johnstone. This was the beginning of Brighton’s tightening stronghold on the match.

Gross, Aaron Connolly and Neal Maupay were all denied by Johnstone in the first half, with the former again scuffing his lines from close range.

The visitors continued to barrage Johnstone’s goal in the second, with Ben White coming close with a glanced header.

The former Manchester United stopper was again in fine form to deny Maupay, with Connolly blasting over from close-range.

Gross fired a long-range effort just over the bar minutes later, before Brighton were awarded a second penalty for a foul on the German.

This time he wouldn’t step up, and would pass responsibility to Danny Welbeck. He stepped up, but like Gross, was denied by the woodwork – this time the post.

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Later on, the Baggies’ skipper Bartley once again came up trumps, sliding in from nowhere to deny a clear opportunity for Joel Veltman.

The home side held on, taking them to within eight points of Newcastle United. Brighton stay 16th, now just four clear of Fulham who have a game in hand.

West Brom – Johnstone; Furlong, O’Shea, Bartley, Townsend; Phillips, Gallagher, Yokuslu, Maitland-Niles, Pereira; Diagne

Subs: Button, Robson-Kanu, Robinson, Livermore, Diangana, Sawyers, Ivanovic, Peltier, Grant

Brighton – Sanchez; White, Dunk, Veltman, Burn; Gross, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Connolly; Trossard, Maupay

Subs: Steele, Lallana, Mader, Jahanbakhsh, Alzate, Welbeck, Tau, Propper, Zeqiri