Two goals inside the final 10 minutes earned promotion-chasing West Brom
victory over Crystal Palace at The Hawthorns.
Eagles goalkeeper Nico Vaesen had earlier frustrated the Baggies by pulling
off sensational saves to palm away an Artim Sakiri free-kick and then a
pile-driver effort from Lee Hughes.
But the inspirational Belgian proved helpless to prevent Darren Moore's aerial
effort finding the back of the net with 10 minutes remaining and substitute
Lloyd Dyer wrapped up the three points by netting in the 87th minute.
But the 20-minute mark had been and gone before the hosts at last bared their
teeth when Sakiri embarked on a jinking run from the left wing, around Danny
Butterfield to to the byline before crossing towards Hughes and Rob Hulse only
for Vaesen to smother the ball.
There was more danger at the other end when Albion were again caught dozing at
a set-piece, on this occasion a lunging Andrew Johnson narrowly failing to
connect with Julian Gray's left-wing cross.
West Brom wrested the initiative once more though and Palace found themselves
under the cosh as the half ended, Vaesen spectacularly palming away Sakiri's
free-kick curled from 20 yards before the Macedonian international went close
with a glancing header from James Chambers' cross.
A goalless opening period ended with Albion indignant after referee Paul
Robinson waved away penalty appeals after Michael Hughes appeared to have
handled Sakiri's cross from the left.
In the second half the hosts picked up where they had left off the first as
Hughes burst along the left flank within moments of the restart before cutting
inside Butterfield and unloading a blistering drive which Vaesen athletically
palmed away at the expense of a corner.
West Brom manager Gary Megson sprang a tactical surprise in the 55th minute
when he elected to replace livewire Sakiri with Jason Koumas, much to the dismay
of the Hawthorns faithful who at first booed and then rose to applaud the
Macedonian as he trotted from the field.
More Albion changes were in the offing though as Hulse was replaced by Delroy
Facey five minutes later but they appeared to disrupt rather than help and as
Palace began to see more of the ball Johnson had a header saved by Hoult with 20
minutes remaining ahead of Butterfield slashing across the face of goal.
The promotion-chasers' jangling nerves were calmed in the 80th minute as Moore
rose highest to power home a header from a right-wing corner flighted by
Koumas.
Then, with three minutes left on the clock, Facey made tracks along the left
before pulling the ball back for Dyer who produced an assured finish to beat
Vaesen low down at the far post.
Teams:
West Brom: Hoult, Gregan, Moore, Gaardsoe, Chambers, Johnson,
Kinsella (Dyer 74), Sakiri (Koumas 55), Robinson,
Hulse (Facey 60), Hughes.
Subs Not Used: Murphy, Clement.
Goals: Moore 81, Dyer 86.
Crystal Palace: Vaesen, Butterfield, Hudson, Popovic,
Granville, Routledge, Leigertwood (Black 84), Hughes, Gray,
Johnson, Shipperley.
Subs Not Used: Berthelin, Derry, Riihilahti, Borrowdale.
Booked: Gray, Butterfield.
Att: 24,990
Ref: J P Robinson (E Yorkshire).
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