FA Cup 5th Round Albion 1 - 0 Cheltenham 16/02/02 Match report

FA CUP ROUND 5
WBA V Cheltenham
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WBA V Cheltenham
Referee: Matt Messias	Attendance: 27,179

Final Result
WBA 1 (0)	Cheltenham 0 (0)
Danny Dichio 64

Match Squads
WBA	Cheltenham
Hoult, Russell 17. Sigurdsson, Larus Moore, Darren 6. Gilchrist, Phil 16. Balis, Igor 23. Chambers, Adam 4. McInnes, Derek Johnson, Andy 3. Clement, Neil Dichio, Danny 11. Roberts, Jason	Book, Steve 11. Griffin, Antony 2. Duff, Michael 4. Banks, Chris 3. Victory, Jamie Williams, Lee 7. Howells, Lee 16. Yates, Mark 18. Milton, Russell 19. Alsop, Julian Naylor, Tony

Substitutes
Butler, Tony 18. Dobie, Scott 21. Jensen, Brian 20. Jordao, 7. Fox, Ruel	Devaney, Martin 6. Brough, John 9. Grayson, Neil 12. Higgs, Shane 17. Howarth, Neil

Match Report extracts from various resources

Dichio popped up with a second-half winner to send West Brom into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 20 years. Dichio's header on 64 minutes finally broke the deadlock after Third Division Cheltenham had threatened to spring a major surprise at The Hawthorns. Steve Cotterill's minnows refused to be overawed against their First Division rivals and Jamie Victory had a header cleared off the line just after half-time.

But Gary Megson's side held their nerve to keep their dream of a promotion and Cup double alive. Albion were high on confidence after disposing of Sunderland and Leicester in previous rounds and winning their last five games without conceding a goal. But Cheltenham's 13-game unbeaten run stretched back to the end of November and they had triumphed in their last six away fixtures. Andy Johnson was well tackled in the penalty area by former Baggies ballboy Mark Yates and Jason Roberts was foiled by a last-gasp challenge from Victory as the home side started strongly.

But Cheltenham weathered the storm and Russell Milton wasted a rare shooting chance when Larus Sigurdsson's weak clearance went straight to him on the edge of the area. The visitors had a lucky escape when skipper Chris Banks body-checked Roberts on the edge of the area as he homed in on goal. Referee Matt Messias decided Banks had not been the last man and issued a yellow card, with Neil Clement shooting wide from the free-kick.

Cheltenham's Tony Naylor sliced a golden chance to add to his season's tally of five FA Cup goals and Adam Chambers shot weakly at the other end when Roberts put him clear two minutes before half-time. West Brom almost fell behind when Victory headed Milton's corner towards goal, only for Chambers to clear off the line. Roberts then looked set to score when he jinked through but Cheltenham keeper Steve Book made a great close-range save.

Dichio finally made the breakthrough when he rose to head Igor Balis' cross past Book. Cheltenham refused to throw in the towel and Albion keeper Russell Hoult was forced to tip over the bar as Yates went for glory. Baggies substitute Scott Dobie should have ensured a comfortable finish when Balis found him just five yards out but he skied his shot over the bar.
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