Albion will spend the season’s third international break top of the Sky Bet Championship after a hard-fought but merited victory at inform Hull City today.
A solitary first-half strike from skipper Jake Livermore, back at his old club, separated the teams for the remainder of the game.
Albion had to protect that lead to the finishing line as they were unable to find a killer second goal from some wonderful approach play in the second half.
But Livermore’s 28th-minute strike was sufficient – although the victory did not arrive without a disappointing postscript for Albion.
Both Livermore and Romaine Sawyers were booked and hit the mark which will mean suspension for both when Albion return to action at The Hawthorns against Sheffield Wednesday in a fortnight.
Albion had dominated the first half and twice before the goal Grady Diangana had gone close as the Baggies fluent football began to stretch the home side.
He opted for a near-post finish which he dragged wide in the 18th minute before climbing to win a header which just cleared the bar a couple of minutes later.
The Baggies were the victims of their own ambitions in the 23rd minute when a move broke down out on the left and suddenly Hull had players clear for the counter attack.
But Kamil Grosicki rolled his finish wide from a scoring position and the Baggies made him pay just before the half hour.
Home keeper George Long went full stretch to tip away a super Matt Phillips shot from a short-corner routine which caught Hull napping – and when Albion repeated the trick from the corner which followed Livermore slammed home a terrific right-foot finish into the corner.
The Baggies then withstood Hull’s spirited start to the second half before once more exerting control.
And that should have brought more goals with Diangana going closest as he shaved the outside of a post – Matheus Periera was just as close a few seonds later – when Albion put together some of those slick, quick passing phases which the Baggies fans are loving this season.
Nevertheless, 2000-plus travelling supporters had the chance to salute the players at the end of another impressive away performance that leaves Albion bang on course in their quest for promotion.
Albion: Johnstone; Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Townsend, Sawyers, Livermore, Phillips (Krovinovic 62), Pereira, Diangana (Edwards 77), Robson-Kanu (Zohore 90).
Subs: Bond, Brunt, Austin, Hegazi.
