Ryan Mason, Albion’s manager, said that Mikey Johnston was substituted for tactical reasons during half-time of the 3-2 defeat at Coventry.
The Baggies led 2-1 away to the leaders after striker Aune Heggebo scored twice on crosses from winger Johnston’s right flank.
However, head coach Mason decided to substitute Johnston for fellow winger Samuel Iling-Junior at halftime for tactical reasons.
Albion’s second-half strategy was shattered less than four minutes into the restart when midfielder Jayson Molumby received a needless second yellow card for a cynical pull in midfield, leaving the Baggies down a man – and Coventry soon reclaimed the lead.
“No, he was fine,” Mason explained of Johnston. “I could just feel how the game was going to go.
“It was a 50-50 split between him and Samuel to start the game. Obviously, Mikey contributed to both goals and performed admirably.
“We just felt in the second half that having a left footer on that side of the pitch would have been more beneficial, and we were planning on changing our shape a little bit to cause them more problems, to find a lot more deep space because we knew we could attack that area and cause him problems.”
“I believe we started the second half quite well, with control. But we were unable to see that happen.”
Albion failed to make a single attempt on Carl Rushworth’s goal in the second stanza, having to face the leaders with one man down.
Mason introduced Toby Collyer and Ousmane Diakite shortly after Coventry took a 3-2 lead, substitutions he wanted to make before Victor Torp’s winner, with Karlan Grant leading the line and Collyer and Isaac Price supporting. The Baggies couldn’t throw a punch against their hosts.
The head coach resisted the appeal to withdraw Molumby at halftime due to his yellow card, and the Ireland international was sent off less than four minutes into the second half for a shirt tug just inside the Albion half.
Mason stated that he did not want to “take the responsibility” away from Molumby, whom he had previously labeled as having a “moment of ill-discipline”. Molumby’s first caution, after starting for the first time in seven games, came from a strong bodycheck near Coventry’s corner flag following an ill-tempered spell of play.
“I think anyone on a yellow, when they’re experienced, you can’t always take that responsibility away from them,” Mason told reporters.
“It was a mistake that gave the referee the decision to make and we need to learn from it and avoid it happening again.”
xz
