Ryan Mason praises West Brom’s fighting spirit after opening win over Blackburn

New West Brom head coach Ryan Mason praised his side’s fighting spirit after they battled to a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win against Blackburn at The Hawthorns.

Isaac Price’s 15th-minute goal gave Albion a deserved victory in Mason’s first game in charge, with Aune Heggebo and Price twice going close.

Blackburn’s only serious threat came from Yuki Ohashi’s saved shot but the hosts had to withstand late pressure before and after Darnell Furlong’s red card in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage-time.

Former Tottenham assistant coach Mason, 34 – who replaced Tony Mowbray in June – said: “The reality of this league is you have to suffer at times.

“When you’re in those moments – like we probably were in those last 10-15 minutes – defending our box and putting bodies on the line, that was the pleasing thing for me today.

“Most importantly, the feeling I got from the group was the willingness to work and fight for each other.

“We’re going to need that going forward. I watched the Championship game last night (a 1-1 draw between Birmingham and Ipswich) and the early kick-off match today (Southampton 2-1 Wrexham) and in this league, the game is not finished until the final whistle goes.

“You have to fight in every moment and we showed a real desire to protect each other. That’s certainly a foundation we’re going to need.”

Albion had the more chances, with attacking midfielder Price’s 25-yard curling free-kick scooped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Balazs Toth.

The former Everton youngster swept home a loose ball after Rovers failed to deal with Furlong’s long throw-in. Heggebo wrestled fellow debutant Ryan Alebiosu off the ball to carve out the chance.

Toth also denied Heggebo and Price either side of half-time, while Mason had no complaints about Furlong’s late dismissal for two bookable offences, the latter a clash of heads.

“The nature of how it looked, I’ve got no arguments and I respect the referee’s decision,” he said.

Despite their late onslaught, Blackburn’s only real threat was Ohashi’s tight-angled shot fumbled away by Josh Griffiths.

Ohashi appealed for a penalty after falling, following a tussle with Torbjorn Heggem – an appeal backed by Rovers’ former Albion head coach Valerien Ismael.

“Yes, 100 per cent,” he said. “If you saw what the referee saw from the middle of the pitch, it’s a penalty.

“If you blow for a penalty, no one would have complained. I spoke to him (referee) briefly after the game and he had his view, but we can’t change anything.”

Not surprisingly, Mason’s view differed: “I need to see the replay to have an honest opinion but the ref was close and I respect his decision.

“I didn’t expect him to blow for a penalty but maybe if it was the other way round, I might feel differently.”

Ismael felt his team needed to become more ruthless in front of goal.

“It’s just taking the wrong decision,” he added. “Maybe taking a shot instead of passing and we need to show more desire to score, which was missing today.”

The Frenchman also suggested there would be at least one more signing before the transfer window closes.

He said any more incomings would depend on others leaving, with midfielder Lewis Travis attracting interest.

“I think there will be one at least and after that will depend on players going out,” he said.