Club News

Foster: ‘First goal was crucial’

Stopper on Eagles defeat

BEN Foster admitted the first goal was always going to prove crucial as Albion dropped points at The Hawthorns for the first time in 2017.

The Baggies’ five-game unbeaten run was ended by Crystal Palace, who struck two unanswered second half goals in front of the Brummie Road End.

Wilfried Zaha’s powerful strike after 55 minutes set the Eagles on their way to victory, before fellow winger Andros Townsend completed the scoring late on with Albion pushing for an equaliser.

The Baggies stopper is hopeful the defeat will be a “one-off”, having previously seen his side earn seven victories from eight in Premier League on home soil.

He said: “Hopefully we can put the defeat down to a one-off.

“Credit to Palace. They made it difficult and getting the first goal was always going to be crucial.

“They took their two goals well despite there being a bit of a deflection on the second one.

“You saw the lads pushing forward and trying to get the equaliser when we were 1-0 down but it wasn’t meant to be today.

“If we had scored the opening goal I think Palace would have found it as equally difficult to break us down as we found trying to break them down to be.”

The No.1 was keen to move on quickly and he targeted a return to winning ways at seventh-placed Everton next Saturday afternoon.

“It would have been nice to get a win going into the tough game at Everton next weekend.

“We’ve had some success there before so hopefully we can get another win and stay in touch with them for that seventh spot.”