Tony Pulis' reign as West Brom manager got off to a winning start as Saido Berahino's 14th goal of the season gave the Baggies a slender 1-0 win over Hull City, who lost both strikers to injury early on.
Hull brought back some of the first team players after last week's cup defeat to Arsenal, and despite having an injury crisis, The Tigers fielded a strong side. West Brom had Berahino and Brown Ideye up front and the latter had the chance to open the scoring very early on. He was slow to react to a Stephane Sessegnon pass and Hull defender Alex Bruce managed to clear it.
The visitor's first real chance came ten minutes in as Ahmed Elmohamady's cross was nearly met by Nikica Jelavic but the Croatian just couldn't make the connection that'd send the ball past Baggies 'keeper Ben Foster. Elmohamady and Stephen Quinn seemed to be very open on both flanks with West Brom failing to close them down.
The first real chance of the game came nearly 20 minutes in as Berahino linked well with Sessegnon, playing a one-two but the young Englishman just dragged his shot wide of Allan McGregor's goal. Almost ten minutes later came the first shot on target, again it was Berahino but his tame effort was straight at McGregor. It was clear that if someone was to score, it'd be Berahino.
With Hull suffering an injury crisis with up to five star players out with injury, it was vital they didn't suffer anymore. But Hull's hearts sank as Jelavic hobbled off on his return from illmess after just over half an hour. A couple of minutes later record signing Abel Hernandez came off ith a groin problem. Substitutes Robbie Brady and Tom Ince had to play up front as Hull now only have Yannick Sagbo in terms of striking options.
The best chance of the game came just before half time. Berahino played through Ideye and he was one on one with McGregor, but he dragged his shot just wide of the goal, meaning both sides went in goalless and a repeat of the dire 0-0 draw earlier in the season seemed on the cards.
The second half started just like the first half, both sides were enjoying some dominant spells of possession, but as their recent stats showed neither side had any real quality in the final third. Berahino aside it was didficult to see where a goal would come from.
15 minutes from the end Elmohamady had a moment of madness as he passed to McGregor who picked up the ball, resulting in an indirect costless kick to West Brom. Step up Saido Berahino, as he hit substitute Victor Anichebe's lay off straight through the Hull wall and into the back of the net, giving him his 14th of the season and a winner for the hosts.
Hull have now failed to score in nine of their last 13 games while West Brom scored their fourth goal in six home games. With both sides having poor goalscoring records this game was never going to offer goals, but in this relegation 'six-pointer', West Brom prevailed and leap frog Hull, who are now 17th and in serious trouble.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis got the win in his first league game and is looking likely to work his magic as he's never been relegated as a manager. His first task however is to hold on to Berahino, who's been heavily linked with Tottenham and Liverpool, and in his post match interview, he didn't sound too determined to stay at the club.
| West Brom (1) | Hull City (0) | ||
 |  |  |  |
| Foster | 6 | McGregor | 6 |
| Wisdom | 6 | Chester | 6 |
| McAuley | 6 | Bruce | 6 |
| Lescott | 7 | Davies | 5 |
| Baird | 6 | Figueroa | 6 |
| Brunt | 6 | Elmohamady | 4 |
| Yacob | 5 | Meyler | 6 |
| Morrison | 6 | Livermore | 5 |
| Sessegnon (2) | 7 | Quinn (3) | 6 |
| Berahino | 8 | Jelavic (1) | 5 |
| Ideye (1) | 7 | Hernandez (2) | 5 |
| Substitutions | |||
| Anichebe (1) | 7 | Brady (1) | 6 |
| Gardner (2) | 5 | Ince (2) | 6 |
| Huddlestone (3) | 5 | ||