Striker Lee Hughes grabbed his 12th goal of the season to earn Brian Little's West Brom their first win in 15 games.

The all-important strike from the hitman earned Albion their first success since November and pushed struggling Crewe deeper into the relegation mire.

Hughes crowned a marvellous sweeping move through the heart of the Crewe defence that was started by teenage defender James Chambers.

He slipped a perfect pass to Paul Hall that sent the on-loan Coventry midfielder breaking away on the right.

Hall lashed the ball into the middle for Hughes to beat keeper Jason Kearton with a marvellous diving header to secure the points.

It was Albion who dominated the one-sided first half with Richard Sneekes firing two early shots just wide and then rattling the woodwork with another powerful drive moments later.

The busy Hughes also had a header cleared off the line by David Wright before Crewe were unlucky with a shot from Mark Rivers that tested keeper Chris Adamson.

After the break Mickey Evans headed wide for Albion when it looked easier to score while at the other end Rivers squandered a great opening when he headed high from only five feet to an inch-perfect cross from Rodney Jack.

Dario Gradi's Crewe have now not tasted success in nine games and they look doomed to Division Two football next term.

Teams:

West Brom: Adamson, Raven, Chambers, Sigurdsson, Carbon, Hall, Sneekes (Oliver 89), Flynn, Fredgaard (Townsend 86), Evans (Quinn 80), Hughes.

Subs Not Used: Miller, Burgess.

Booked: Hughes.

Goals: Hughes 37.

Crewe: Kearton, Bignot, D. Wright, Macauley (Foran 61), Boertien, Sorvel, Lunt, Lightfoot (Street 86), Jack, Tait, Rivers.

Subs Not Used: S. Wright, Little, Cramb.

Att: 12,406

Ref: S Tomlin (Lewes).