Struggling West Brom posted their first Championship victory in 14 matches as they swept apart play-off hopefuls Hull 3-0 at The Hawthorns and breathed life into their survival probabilities.
Josh Maja opened the scoring within the twenty third minute when he turned in Jed Wallace’s cross, and strike companion Aune Heggebo doubled the benefit within the 68th minute – by which level the Tigers had been diminished to 10 males having seen Charlie Hughes dismissed for denying a goalscoring alternative.
Isaac Worth added a deserved third late within the sport as Albion moved out of the relegation zone.
The hosts started shortly. Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur was shortly off his line to disclaim Heggebo when sought by Worth, after which Heggebo was inches away from assembly Danny Imray’s cross from the correct hand facet.
Albion might need taken the lead by way of Crystal Palace loanee Imray himself, just for Pandur to beat his drive away at his close to publish.
Maja’s header shortly afterwards fell the incorrect facet of the publish because the hosts’ early dominance continued, earlier than Hull started to ask questions of their very own.
Oli McBurnie went shut when he took benefit of defender George Campbell’s misjudgement, however he dragged his shot broad of aim.
The alternatives continued to current themselves in what was an entertaining opening quarter of an hour. Albion captain Wallace pulled one cross again into the trail of Heggebo, whose ensuing shot after a dummy from Worth was weak and comfortably held by Pandur.
Hull, who boast probably the greatest away data within the Championship this season, went shut once more when goalkeeper Max O’Leary skewed his clearance into the trail of McBurnie, however the Scotland ahead was saved at bay by the goal-saving problem of Nat Phillips.
West Brom did make the breakthrough halfway by way of the primary half, when one other goalkeeping blunder proved pricey. Wallace raced onto his personal charge-down after a poor aim kick from Pandur, and his following cross was turned residence by Maja.
Issues worsened for the promotion chasing Tigers earlier than half-time. Hughes was caught in possession on the sting of his personal penalty space by Wallace and, after tugging the winger again as he raced in direction of aim, referee Josh Smith deemed it the denial of a goalscoring alternative and produced his purple card.
West Brom might need prolonged their benefit earlier than half-time when Maja was denied by the fingertips of Pandur, after which former Baggies defender Semi Ajayi glanced Jayson Molumby’s follow-up off the road after Callum Kinds had nearly netted immediately from a nook.
The ten males of Hull seemed to carry Albion, who misplaced goalkeeper O’Leary to harm within the second half, at bay for so long as potential, however their defence was breached once more after the hour mark when substitute Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, along with his first contact of the ball, teed up Heggebo and he utilized the of entirety with a neat, first-time end.
The hosts, good worth for his or her lead, remained the likelier of the 2 sides within the closing phases to bother both goalkeeper and went shut once more when Kinds let fly from 25 yards, solely to see his strike cannon off of the crossbar.
They did add a 3rd in stoppage time when Worth latched onto Imray’s low centre to emphatically safe their first victory of 2026 – Hull stay fifth having did not money in on Millwall’s defeat elsewhere.
The managers
West Brom’s James Morrison:
To observe…
Hull’s Sergej Jakirovic:
To observe…
