A Great Start for The Albion

Last updated : 10 August 2002 By Bob Gear
The Albion got off to an excellent start for their return To Division One, dominating for the majority of the Game against a team that have only just missed out on the play-offs for the last two seasons.

The Crowd of 14,738 saw Steve Melton put the Albion in front on 29 minutes, Zamora picked the ball up wide right, passed through to Melton on the edge of the box, Melton slotted home from 18 yards.

The atmosphere of the game changed on 50 minutes when Burnleys Arthur Gnohere was sent-off for a head butt on Gary Hart. The Game was starting to gat a little niggley for a while adter that.

On 65 minutes Paul Brooker went off on one of his mazy runs, beating half the Burnley Side before slotting the ball home for 2-0.

3 minutes later that man Zamora got the third, poking the ball home after it was dropped by the Goalie from a Watson cross.

A few substitutions and bookings followed before Wilkinson thought he'd got the fourth, the ref disallowing it for Offside. Wilkinson got his name taken for kicking the ball way in anger.

Burnley pulled one back in the final minute, but it was too little, too late.