West Brom scrape past Peterborough on penalties

England goalkeeper Ben Foster saved two penalties in a tense shoot-out, as West Brom edged past League One side Peterborough following a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup fourth round replay at London Road.

The Premier League side were indebted to their skipper Darren Fletcher for dragging the game into extra-time, with a stunning half-volley equaliser on 70 minutes to cancel out Jon Taylor's 55th minute opener.

Graham Westley's side caused the Baggies' defence countless problems over the 120 minutes of normal and extra time, with Baggies' defender Jonas Olsson and goalkeeper Foster exchanging sharp words on two occasions as they struggled to deal with the incisive passing of Chris Forrester and the pace and movement of Taylor.

The Posh players began to run out of steam in extra-time, with skipper Gabriel Zakuani and Taylor particularly feeling the pinch. The Baggies spurned a golden chance to win the match late into injury-time when an unmarked Saido Berahino headed Craig Gardner's free-kick wide of the far post.

In the shootout, Posh's 18-year-old on-loan midfielder Martin Samuelsen saw his penalty saved, only for Fletcher to immediately miss the next penalty for West Brom, but the pressure was all on Lee Angol as he took the tenth penalty of the shoot-out following James Chester's successful kick.

Angol never looked convinced that he could beat the former England goalkeeper as he walked from the centre circle, and his fears were realised as Foster stopped his unconvincing effort from 12 yards.

West Brom will now meet Reading in the FA Cup fifth round at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday 20 February.

6' – CHANCE! Beautyman sees a goalbound shot in the area blocked by McClean, then Samuelsen is unable to make anything from the cross from the right.

40' – CHANCE! Chester miskicks from six yards out at the far post, after Zakuani cannot get a firm head on Gardner's corner. Pulis seems furious at his centre-half for that terrible miss.

55' - GOAL! Peterborough United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion. Taylor drills home from the edge of the area through the legs of Chester from Angol's break down the right, following a poor pass from McClean. Olsson is berating Foster, with the Swede thinking that the former England goalkeeper should have saved Taylor's shot having got a firm hand on the ball.

70' - GOAL! Peterborough United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion. Darren Fletcher drills home an equaliser on the half-volley, after Peterborough can only half clear McClean's cross from the left.

85' - OFF THE LINE! Bostwick dives a full length to keep out Berahino's effort after Alnwick goes walkabout trying to clear a long ball.

98' – CHANCE! Brilliant from Samuelsen to drift past McClean, then Fletcher, but his effort is just over the area. That would have been an amazing goal.

112' - CHANCE! Maddison picks up the ball 10 yards into his own half and runs at Olsson, who tries a Ross Barkley-like chip that just drops over Foster's bar.

119' - CHANCE! Berahino loses his man but misses the target with his header from Gardner's deep free kick.

Peterborough and West Brom have been paired together three times in the FA Cup in the last eight years, and the Premier League side have progressed on all three occasions.

The Baggies beat Posh 3-0 at London Road in the fourth round in 2008 and 2-0 in a third-round replay in 2009, following a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns.

Baggies' boss Tony Pulis called McClean "stupid" for his wild tackle on Bournemouth's Adam Smith in a Premier League match just before Christmas, just a couple of weeks after a similar challenge on Tottenham's Moussa Dembele.

So what will he make of the two reckless challenges on teenager Samuelsen tonight?

The Norwegian, who is on loan at Peterborough from West Ham, obviously hasn't picked up the cynical methods of the modern-day footballer. If he had, he would have been rolling all over the floor and McClean would have been sent off.

The challenge in extra-time on Samuelsen was absolutely shocking - the ball was out of play and the Peterborough player was looking at the linesman when McClean came scything in.

The 23-year-old at the base of the Peterborough diamond dictated play in the first half, perhaps confusing the West Brom midfield with a languid style that belied his speed of thought. Every time the League One transitioned from defence to attack, the Dubliner was at the heart of the move.

Posh manager Graham Westley sees Forrester as a lower-league Michael Carrick, and though he faded slightly in extra-time, his ball retention skills remained Carrick-like despite his tired legs.

Peterborough United: Alnwick 7, Zakuani 7, Baldwin 7, Bostwick 7, Beautyman 7, Taylor 7, Fox 8, Angol 7, Forrester 8, Samuelsen 7, Coulthirst 6. Subs: Coulibaly 6, Maddison 7, Ozturner 6.

West Bromwich Albion: Foster 6,Olsson 6, Chester 6, McAuley 6, Gamboa 7, Yacob 7,Gardner 7, McClean 7,, Fletcher 6, Berahino 6, Rondon 5. Subs: Pocagnoli 6, Sessegnon 6.