West Brom boss explains Mikey Johnston's half-time withdrawal and thoughts on leaving on Jayson Molumby
Albion boss Ryan Mason confirmed he withdrew Mikey Johnston for tactical reasons during half-time of the 3-2 defeat at Coventry.
The Baggies were 2-1 to the good away to the leaders after striker Aune Heggebo struck twice from crosses from the right flank from winger Johnston.
But head coach Mason opted to substitute Johnston for fellow winger Samuel Iling-Junior at the interval for tactical purposes.
Albion's second-half plan was ripped up less than four minutes into the restart as midfielder Jayson Molumby collected a needless second yellow card for a cynical pull in midfield to leave the Baggies a man light - and Coventry quickly struck back to lead.
"No, he was OK," Mason said of Johnston. "I just could feel the way the game was going to go.
"With him and Samuel it was 50-50 who started the game. Obviously Mikey contributed to the two goals and did extremely well.
"We just felt in the second half it would have been more beneficial having a left footer on that side of the pitch and we were planning on changing our shape a little bit to cause them more problems, to find a deep space a lot more because we knew we could attack that area and cause him problems.
"I think we started the second half really well, had control. But we weren't able to see that materialise."
Albion failed to land a single effort at Carl Rushworth's goal in the second period having had to face the leaders a man down.
Mason introduced Toby Collyer and Ousmane Diakite just after Coventry took a 3-2 lead - changes he wanted to make prior to Victor Torp's winner - with Karlan Grant leading the line and Collyer and Isaac Price in support. The Baggies could not land a punch on their hosts.
The head coach resisted the call to withdrawn Molumby at half-time due to his yellow card - and the Ireland international international was given his marching orders less than four minutes into the second half for a shirt pull just into the Albion half.
Mason said he did not want to "take the responsibility" away from Molumby, having previously labelled a "moment of ill-discipline". The first caution for Molumby, starting for the first time in seven games, was a powerful bodycheck near Coventry's corner flag following an ill-tempered period of play.
"I think anyone on a yellow, when they're experienced, you can't always take that responsibility away from them," Mason said.
"It was a mistake that gave the referee the decision to make and we need to learn from it and avoid it happening again."