Ryan Mason believes Friday night’s clash at Middlesbrough was decided by “moments”.
The Baggies slipped to their first away defeat of the campaign against the league leaders, ending up on the wrong side of a 2-1 scoreline.
Boro’s first was scored by David Strelec following a long throw into the box, while the second arrived after a slick team move that was eventually finished off by substitute Kaly Sene.
Mason’s men, who scored late on when Aune Heggebø headed in, were pushing for a leveller before Sene’s strike, and that particular goal gave the boss’ team a “tough route back”.
He said: “I think the the second goal tonight was a bit of killer, but so was the first one to be honest. To concede from a throw in is really disappointing.
“We understood it was going to be a tight game and those smaller details can dictate how the result goes.
“We had a big chance early on from a set-play and then to concede from a set-play is disappointing.
“I feel like we had a lot of control in the second half, but they scored a good goal at an important time. There were moments that didn’t quite fall for us. It’s disappointing and the lads gave everything. The result hurts.
“Football is about moments and taking opportunities when they come. They took theirs. They didn’t create the first, it came from a set-play and sometimes those things can happen.
“The second was a well-worked move, but it’s disappointing from our side. I think Ousmane Diakité had a big chance just before that and then they go down the other end and make it 2-0. It’s a tough route back from there.
“We understand those are the moments and you have to stay focused for the 90 minutes. 1-0 is a scoreline where you know you’re going to get opportunities later on if you continue to play and you believe.
“We did that and we created some big openings. It didn’t quite fall for us. It’s a shame the goal came so late because we didn’t have time to affect their penalty area.
“We know that we were coming here and they were in a good moment, but, if anything, it’s just re-enforced my belief in this squad and in this team that we can perform and we can compete. I’m disappointed because it’s still so fresh.
“My feeling during the game was that it was going to be a moment that dictated how the game went. That was true.
“We haven’t got a result tonight and we have to continue to improve. When we won three of our first four games, nobody at the club was getting carried away.
“The last two results haven’t been good and we can’t let them affect us too much. We have another game next week and we have to try and respond as quickly as possible.”
