Fans turn on Bruce as Albion throw it away

WEST BROMWICH ALBION fans turned on Steve Bruce on Saturday and called for him to be sacked after a last-minute 3-2 home defeat by SWANSEA left the club languishing in 21st place. Many inside the Hawthorns vented their fury at Bruce after Michael Obafemi’s winner, which left Albion with one win from their opening 11 games.

‘I don’t expect reassurances from the owners. I will get on with the job I have been given,’ a dejected Bruce (below) said. ‘We need to turn it around and I’m convinced we will. At the moment things are tough. I can understand the fans’ frustration since I walked through the door. ‘They have been great towards me but you can feel a frustration because of results. Apart from the first 10 games of last season, they have not seen enough wins in two years.’ A thrilling contest saw Matthew Sorinola put Swansea ahead after six minutes, only for Jake Livermore and

Grady Diangana goals to put West Brom on course for victory. Olivier Ntcham levelled for the Welsh side and, after West Brom’s Karlan Grant saw his penalty saved by Steven Benda, Obafemi settled it. Troy Deeney earned BIRMINGHAM a point at Championship leaders SHEFFIELD UNITED. The home side looked on course for a fifth successive victory when Oli McBurnie netted his fifth goal in six matches. But Deeney finished from Tahith Chong’s cross to extend Blues’ unbeaten run to a four games. That allowed NORWICH to move within one point of the top after a 1-0 victory at BLACKPOOL. Teemu Pukki scored the winner in the first half to make it four goals in four games.

READING continue their positive start to the season and consigned new HUDDERSFIELD manager Mark Fotheringham to defeat in his first match. Tom McIntyre headed home then Huddersfield goalkeeper Lee Nicholls diverted Jeff Hendricks’ cross into his own net. Yakou Meite’s late goal sealed it, with Tom Lees grabbing a consolation in added time. Bottom club COVENTRY picked up their first Championship win of the season as Viktor Gyokeres settled their meeting with fellow strugglers MIDDLESBROUGH.

In League One, Paul Warne got off to a winning start as DERBY manager as they beat CAMBRIDGE 2-0 on the road with two goals from James Collins. ‘It’s a good start but that’s all it is,’ said Warne, who left Rotherham to take on the challenge of guiding Derby back into the second tier. ‘Every game we set up to win. Draws are OK but not ideal.’ IPSWICH beat PORTSMOUTH 3-2 in a pulsating battle of the promotion hopefuls. Portsmouth went into the game unbeaten but goals by old boy Marcus Harness, Freddie Ladapo and Wes Burns gave Ipswich the points after Colby Bishop had twice equalised from the penalty spot. PLYMOUTH remain top thanks to an eighth-minute penalty from Sam Cosgrove (left) at WYCOMBE.

In League Two, leaders LEYTON ORIENT saw their unbeaten start ended in a 2-1 home loss to NEWPORT. They had won nine out of 10 league games but were stunned by first-half goals from Will Evans and Omar Bogle. Aaron Drinan pulled one back but Orient could not find an equaliser.