A last-gasp goal from West Brom hit-man Lee Hughes dented ten-man Sunderland's impressive charge for automatic promotion.

Hughes grabbed his second goal in the Hawthorns' cracker with a blistering angled drive in the 89th minute to steal a share of the spoils for West Brom.

Albion had coasted into a two-goal lead after just 11 minutes when the dangerous Hughes - bought from non-league football for a bargain £200,000 and Kevin Kilbane were the marksmen.

But Sunderland who had Michael Gray given his marching orders for violent conduct in the 37th minute bounced back brilliantly to storm into a 3-2 lead with a brace of strikes from Niall Quinn and another from Kevin Phillips.

Albion boss Denis Smith had a dream start against his old club as Hughes fired Albion into the lead after just 80 seconds.

The 21-year-old striker made no mistake with a first time volley into the far corner of the net to a marvellous right wing cross from Kilbane.

Then, just nine minutes later, Kilbane got his name on the score sheet with a powerful header into the same corner of the net to crown a move engineered by Sean Flynn.

But it was then the turn of the Wearsiders with Quinn reducing the arrears in the 17th minute to a marvellous cross-field ball to Alan Johnston.

Quinn who looked offside had the simple task of prodding the ball home at close range past 19-year-old Chris Adamson who was making his home debut for Albion.

It was 2-2 in the 28th minute when Nicky Summerbee chipped a perfect cross into the heart of the Albion defence.

Shaun Murphy and Andy McDermott got into a complete tangle with the ball falling to Phillips who smashed a hard rising shot past the helpless Adamson.

Then in the space of just four minutes referee Eddie Lomas yellow-carded three players and sent off Gray for kicking out at striker James Quinn.

Sunderland took the lead for the first time five minutes after the break when a great pass from Lee Clark found the menacing Quinn unmarked in the middle.

The big striker then brilliantly lobbed the ball over the head of Adamson and into the back of the net from 25 yards.

Teams

West Brom: Adamson, McDermott, Van Blerk, Flynn, Beesley (Murphy 24), Carbon, Quinn, Nicol, Hunt (Sneekes 68), Hughes, Kilbane.

Subs Not Used: Coldicott.

Booked: Flynn, Quinn, Sneekes, Hughes.

Goals: Hughes 2, Kilbane 11, Hughes 89.

Sunderland: Perez, Makin, Gray, Clark (Rae 68), Holloway (Craddock 58), Williams, Summerbee, Ball, Quinn (Dichio 74), Phillips, Johnston.

Sent Off: Gray (37).

Booked: Ball, Johnston.

Goals: Quinn 17, Phillips 28, Quinn 50.

Att: 20,181

Ref: E Lomas (Manchester).