Northampton Town 0, West Bromwich Albion 1

As soporific pre-season friendlies go, West Bromwich Albion’s stroll around the Sixfields Stadium last night was right up there with the most sleep-inducing.

At least the Baggies won, thanks to a fine goal from the outstanding Kim Do-Hoen, which registered the club’s first victory in five warm-up matches.

Had they lost to a Northampton Town side so bereft in attacking talent, Albion’s supporters would have been rightly concerned about their trip to the Emirates Stadium in just over a fortnight’s time.

While some of the visting players took time out to put on heart monitors before kick off, it would have taken 2,117 defibrillators to get the supporters’ blood pumping.

David Worrall did his best. He provided a constant source of energy on the right flank and came closest for Albion in the early stages with a left-foot drive from distance which flew over the bar.

His efforts were helped greatly by Kim whose variety of accurate passing was in a different class to the abject fare around him.

This was best displayed by Town’s Colin Larkin, formerly of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Kidderminster Harriers, who, on one occasion, fell over the ball unchallenged. At other times he just fell over, clearly the result of inappropriate footwear. His season can only better.

Larkin had the unenviable task of chasing back to try and stem the flow of quality bouncing off Kim in the middle of the park.

It was the South Korean who broke the most stale of stalemates with a fine free-kick from 20 yards ten minutes before the break. A minor deflection off the wall was followed by a bigger one off the inside of keeper Mark Bunn’s right-hand post.

The second half, perhaps unsurprisingly, was livelier than the first.

Leon Constantine hit the bar for the hosts before a raft of substitutions with half-an-hour remaining further opened up and already open game. Sherjill MacDonald and Worrall revelled in the space, the former embarking on several marauding runs, only to be let down by poor finishing.

Mercifully, referee Peter Walton blew the final whistle on time.

*Bristol City have pulled out of a deal to sign Michael Mifsud from Coca-Cola Championship rivals Coventry City after Robins boss Gary Johnson revealed he had doubts about the player’s commitment.

City agreed a fee of £1.5 million for the Malta striker last week and he looked certain to move to Ashton Gate until Johnson had a change of heart after meeting the frontman.

Johnson said: “I don’t think he’s right for us. I can’t commit £1.5 million of the club’s money to people that I don’t think can be committed to the club over three years.”

Meanwhile, the Sky Blues drew 0-0 in last night’s friendly at Livingston.

Leon McKenzie and Jay Tabb both threatened in the first half as the Sky Blues looked the more dangerous but the second period was more even. Robbie Simpson and Julian Gray might have fired Coventry ahead but Sky Blues keeper Danny Ireland rescued his side with an excellent save.