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Kirby deserved that, says boss as he praises Albion response which brought the points

Kirby deserved that, says boss as he praises Albion response which brought the points

Fran Kirby guides home the winner for Albion (Image: Simon Dack)

Albion 3 West Ham 2

Fran Kirby has seen plenty of big moments for clubs and country.

That sort of experience and expertise were huge reasons why Albion stunned the WSL by bringing her in last summer.

She underlined those values to put her side back on course for this win after they had seen a 2-0 lead wiped out.

With the sort of chance we have seen blasted hurriedly into the North Stand by men and women alike down the years, she took an extra touch, picked her spot and guided home a finish via the post to finally secure the points.

There was know-how, too, from Kiko Seike on the right wing as she looked up and picked out Kirby’s movement.

The finish gave Albion the win they craved to bounce back from the previous week’s 5-0 jolt at Arsenal.

And it came at a time when nerves were on edge.

Albion head coach Dario Vidosic praised the composure of the finish and said: “It’s easier in training when it’s maybe scripted or you know we’ve got time.

“We talk about it, we isolate it.

“But in the moment, in the context of the game, that’s the quality.

“I thought the play and everything – how we penetrate, how we got behind, to find the free player in Fran.

“But then her composure, that’s the class that she possesses and I think that’s a goal she deserves as well.

“Especially with her performance today.”

Kirby played a big part in an equally adept finish, by Rachel McLauchlan, which gave Albion their first-half lead.

Seraina Piubel had just missed a sitter for West Ham when Seike guided home Albion’s second on the hour after a pass by McLauchlan.

But Australian international Katrina Gorry then opened fire on the Albion goal.

She hit the bar before twice scoring from outside the box in the space of five minutes.

Albion made changes while the Hammers lost Gorry to injury.

The hosts got back on top and Kirby duly scored the goal which takes them to 13 points from five home games.

There was good and bad from Albion, the pluses being the work of Maisie Symonds as an emergency centre-back due to injuries.

Vidosic said: “I think the good is that character.

“We’ve shown it before when we’ve gone a goal down or the game has changed.

“But today it could have been really easy, especially after last week, from 2-0 up to go 2-2, probably two a little bit unfortunate goals deflect where you know we probably could do better in those moments.

“But a great response immediately after the goal went in.

“I saw them all talking to each other, encouraging each other just to keep playing, and then we went straight back to playing our football and scored a beautiful goal.

“At 2-0 it is that dangerous scoreline and, even at 1-0, how do we control games?

“How do we look to attack at the right time?

“But I thought overall it was a fantastic response after the last game.”

Albion remain third in the table but it feels like we are only seeing what they can do in fits and starts.

The thought of what can happen should it all click for longer periods is an exciting one.

Vidosic said: “We knew it was a big weekend with all the games being played in big stadiums, so it’s a fixture that we look forward to, whenever we know that we’re at home with our fans.

“We had a terrific response last time we were here (against Manchester United) after maybe a disappointing first half.

“But today I thought from the start we were good.

“There are a few things that we can improve but that’s just part of our journey.

“It will never be perfect but that’s the search that we’re on and the quest that we’re on, trying to get to that perfection.”

Albion: Baggaley; McLauchlan, Symonds, Bergsvand, Pattinson; Losada (Cankovic 73), Olislagers; Seike, Kirby, Haley (Agyemang 73); Parris (Bremer 90+3). Subs not used: Loeck, Poulter, Rayner, Bruna, Balmer, Johnson.

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