English Premiership
West Brom topple Wolves
2011-10-16 15:17
West Bromwich - West Bromwich Albion climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone after defeating bitter rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 in the Black Country derby at the Hawthorns on Sunday.
Roy Hodgson's side started the day third from bottom of the table with just one win in their seven league games this season, but goals from Chris Brunt and Peter Odemwingie ended that dismal run and earned the bragging rights over their hated neighbours.
Brunt opened the scoring early in the first half and Nigerian striker Odemwingie came off the bench in the closing stages to clinch Albion's first top-flight win against Wolves since 1982.
While Albion are finally on the up, Wolves have slipped below their rivals after five successive league defeats - their worst sequence at the top level since 1984.
Wolves, without injured striker Steven Fletcher, had the first sight of goal when Adam Hammill drove in a low cross-shot that Albion keeper Ben Foster had to palm away.
But Albion opened the scoring with their first serious attack in the eighth minute.
Youssouf Mulumbu picked out Billy Jones and he cut the ball back across the area to Brunt, who hammered a rising shot past Wayne Hennessey from 12 yards.
Wolves were stung into action by that setback and Mick McCarthy's team were close to equalising just five minutes later.
Foster blocked a powerful effort from Nenad Milijas but the rebound fell into the path of Kevin Doyle inside the six yard box, only for Albion defender Jonas Olsson to make a superb last-ditch tackle to avert the danger.
It took a fine save from Foster, tipping over a deflected effort from Christophe Berra, to ensure Albion went in ahead at half-time.
Albion were incensed when Roger Johnson appeared to bring down Shane Long with the Wolves captain stranded as the last defender, but referee Chris Foy waved play on.
McCarthy brought on Sylvan Ebanks-Blake for Milijas after 55 minutes and he almost made an immediate impact as he teed up Hammill, whose low drive was pushed around the far post by Foster.
Johnson should have equalised after 67 minutes when he out-jumped Jones to get on the end of a Doyle cross but he headed wide from close range. It proved a costly miss.
Odemwingie entered the action with 18 minutes remaining and the Nigerian made an immediate impact as he teed up Jerome Thomas for a low shot that was blocked by the feet of Hennessey
Wolves failed to heed the warming and Odemwingie doubled Albion's lead with his second goal of the campaign in the 75th minute.
Mulumbu made a probing run before finding Scharner who back-heeled into the path of Odemwingie. The striker took one touch before drilling a powerful low shot past Hennessey into the corner of the net.