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Live Commentary: West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Crystal Palace - at it happened

Relive Sports Mole's text commentary of the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace at The Hawthorns.
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West Bromwich Albion hosted Crystal Palace in their Premier League match at The Hawthorns this afternoon.

The home side claimed a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Saido Berahino and Gareth McAuley that gave them their first win in three games.

Today's result condemned Palace to a seventh successive league defeat and leaves them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

Read how all the action unfolded below.


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Good afternoon and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of this afternoon's Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace.

There is plenty at stake today with both teams currently in the bottom half of the table but it is the visitors who are arguably in more desperate need of a win.

Crystal Palace have lost their last six league fixtures and have not won a game since beating Sunderland at the end of August.

Their poor run of form cost Ian Holloway his job and as they seek to appoint a new manager, caretaker boss Keith Millen will take charge yet again.

WEST BROM XI: Myhill, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Mulumbu, Morrison, Amalfitano, Sessegnon, Brunt, Long

WEST BROM SUBS: Daniels, Rosenberg, Yacob, Berahino, Vydra, Lugano, Popov

CRYSTAL PALACE XI: Speroni, Ward, Delaney, Gabbidon, Moxey, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Bannan, Thomas, Guedioura, Chamakh

CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Price, Mariappa, O'Keefe, Puncheon, Bolasie, Gayle, Phillips

West Brom will be looking for their first win in three matches having not picked up maximum points since their impressive victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Both sides faced tough tests last weekend when they played two of the league’s title challengers. West Brom were undone by a Luis Suarez treble and a stunning goal from Daniel Sturridge as they lost 4-1 to Liverpool at Anfield.

Palace were up against the league leaders Arsenal and they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Selhurst Park thanks to goals in the second half from Mikel Arteta and Olivier Giroud.

A look at the Premier League table shows you that Palace have to start picking up points soon if they are to stand any chance of staying up this season. They have picked up just three points from their first nine fixtures and are five points away from getting out of the relegation zone.

The home side are in a far safer mid-table positon of 12th place ahead of today’s match and will be hoping they can emulate last season’s best ever Premier League finish of eighth.

Neither team today are renowned for their attacking exploits this season so far, with West Brom having scored eight goals in their nine league games, just two better than Palace’s six goals.

UPDATE: Newcastle United have beaten Chelsea 2-0 in the day’s early kickoff. Yoan Gouffran headed home a free kick from Yohan Cabaye to give them the lead and Loic Remy fired in a second in the closing stages to seal the win and claim all three points for the hosts at St James’ Park.

Palace are one of two teams, along with Sunderland, who are yet to keep a clean sheet this season and have shipped a worrying 21 goals in the league. Their opponents have fared much better in comparison having let in 10 goals and kept a respectable three clean sheets

PREDICTION: West Brom have struggled to reach the heights of their brilliant win over Manchester United over the last three games, but I fully expect them to return to winning ways against a struggling Crystal Palace side. The visitors have looked out of their depth this season while their opponents are now an established and experienced Premier League side who should have far too much quality and claim three points today. I am predicting a 2-0 win for West Brom.

REFEREE: Neil Swarbrick will be the man in charge of today’s game.

We are just under 10 minutes away from kick off at The Hawthorns!

The West Brom and Crystal Palace players exit the tunnel to a packed home crowd.

The home side have won the coin toss and will kick off.

KICKOFF! We are underway at The Hawthorns!

Palace nearly put the home defence under pressure early on as Myhill is forced to rush out and clear a short back pass.

West Brom have forced a couple of corners from Palace but both deliveries by Brunt are missed in the box.

There are signs that the home side are starting to click into gear. There has been some fine interchange between the midfield players and the Palace defence will have to be careful.

Olsson launches a diagonal pass in the direction of Long who nearly latches onto it but the ball bounces just beyond his reach.

Albion have played a number of long balls into the path of Long already and he looks to have caused Delaney some problems at the back.

CHANCE! Good chance for the visitors. Guedioura latches onto the end of a flick on from Chamakh but Myhill beats away his stinging shot from inside the box.

West Brom win a free kick on the half way line and Mulumbu's header causes panic inside the box but the away side manage to get the ball clear.

Long is unlucky to be ruled offside as he gets onto the end of another long pass behind the Palace defence.

The visitors look like they are going to cause the Albion backline problems today. Chamakh picks up a loose ball in the midfield and looks to burst forward before being crowded out just outside the box.

Palace have a problem here as Guedioura is down and in need of medical attention.

He appeared to do the damage himself, going down after trying to latch onto a long pass.

SUBSTITUTION: Guedioura is unable to continue and Puncheon is on to take his place.

Puncheon sees his first piece of action after getting on the end of a Chamakh header but the Albion defence deal with the threat and force him out wide.

Jones puts a fantastic cross into the middle but nobody is there to make contact for the home side. Palace manage to clear it for a corner but again it comes to nothing.

Jones whips another cross into the middle and wins a corner but he is feeling his hamstring and the home side might have to make a change.

The home fans are furious after Gabbidon hauls down Long wide on the left, but the referee doesn't give it.

SUBSTITUTION: Jones does look to have pulled his hamstring and can't continue, with Berahino taking his place.

Chamakh looks lively today as he keeps in a ball that appeared to be going out of play, but his pull back can't find anyone in the middle.

Palace win a free kick wide on the left, but Bannan's delivery is too close to Myhill and the keeper easily claims. They have to do better from situations like that.

Mulumbu threads a pass down the right hand side and finds Sessegnon whose ball into the middle is forced out for a corner. Brunt takes the set piece but again the Albion players can't connect with his cross.

The home side work the ball to Morrison, who fires in a strike from 25 yards, but his effort is well off target and fails to threaten the keeper.

Palace are looking a real threat going forward today. Puncheon finds himself with a shooting chance just inside the box but he can only drag his effort wide.

The home fans aren't liking what they have seen from their side and as they lose possession to Palace in the midfield, there are loud moans and groans from the stands.

GOAL! West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Crystal Palace (Berahino)

Just as the home fans are getting frustrated, West Brom take the lead! Sessegnon pulls the ball back to the edge of the box for Berahino, who takes a touch and volleys the ball into the bottom corner of the net leaving Speroni with no chance.

There are going to be six minutes of added time after the two injuries we have had in the first half.

That goal has certainly lifted the spirits of the fans and the players who looked frustrated with what they had seen up to Berahino's strike.

Berahino is looking confident today and he forces Speroni into a save from his low long range effort.

HALF TIME: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Crystal Palace

After a first half of very few chances, Berahino has given West Brom the lead with that sweet strike in the last minute of the half. It was only the home side's second attempt on target, but the substitute made it count.

UPDATE: There are plenty of goals in the day's other afternoon kick offs. Manchester United are 3-0 up against Fulham, while their neighbours Manchester City lead Norwich City 4-0 at the break. Hull City are winning 1-0 against Sunderland while the games between Stoke City and Southampton and West Ham United and Aston Villa are level.

Back at The Hawthorns, a look at the stats suggest it was a very even first half. The home side shaded the possession, seeing 52% of the ball. Each side had 3 shots on goal apiece, but of course the stat that counts is that Albion have the lead.

The players are making their way back out to the pitch and we are moments away from the second half.

Palace kick off and get the action back underway.

Myhill is forced to come sprinting from his box and clear a loose ball just seconds after the kick off.

The home side have kept possession well in the opening stages of the half as they look to build on their lead.

Ward makes a fine tackle on Sessegnon but appears to be limping after making the challenge. The visitors won't want another player going off injured today.

Berahino is inches away from getting on the end of Amalfitano's cross into the middle, but Gabbidon does well to head the ball clear.

Palace have a good opportunity here with a free kick inside the West Brom half, which Bannan will whip in.

Jedinak gets on the end of the set piece, but his header lacks any power and the keeper claims it with ease.

West Brom will have a free kick after Mulumbu sprays a fine long ball over the top to Long, who is bundled over by Gabbidon.

CHANCE! Speroni manages to punch away Brunt's ball into the middle but it falls to Amalfitano who sees his shot into the box blocked.

Morrison is inches away from connecting with a through ball but the pass is just out of his reach.

CHANCE! Puncheon forces Myhill into a save from his stinging strike that took a deflection on the way through. From the resulting corner, the Albion defence manage to get it clear.

The visitors are seeing more of the ball and Jedinak is next to attempt a long range strike that takes a deflection and goes out for another corner.

CHANCE! The corner is whipped into the middle and Jedinak connects with it, but he sees his header back across goal sail just wide of the post.

It has been a spirited response in these last few minutes from Palace, who sense that they could take something from this game.

SUBSTITUTION: Bolasie comes on for Palace in place of Bannan.

Palace have started to see much more of the ball and you sense that the home fans are getting anxious at what they are seeing here.

CHANCE! The visitors almost create a goal out of absolutely nothing. Delaney heads a ball into the box that hits Chamakh and rolls just wide of the goal. If the striker was more alert there he might have had a real chance to score.

YELLOW CARD! Thomas is booked for a challenge from behind on Berahino.

CHANCE! Berahino weaves his way past the Palace defence and slides in Long who sees his attempt on goal blocked brilliantly by Moxey's sliding tackle.

SUBSTITUTION: West Brom make their second change of the game with Yacob replacing Morrison.

A promising attack by Palace comes to an end after a bad touch by Chamakh. They have created some decent openings today but their final ball has let them down.

CHANCE! Brunt is close to adding a second for West Brom, but he fires wide after receiving the ball on the edge of the box. It was on his unfavoured right foot but the midfielder should have done better from there.

SUBSTITUTION: Palace make their final change of the afternoon, with Gayle replacing Dikgacoi.

Wonderful play on the right wing by Amalfitano, who gets in behind the defence, but there is nobody in the middle to get on the end of his ball in.

GOAL! West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Crystal Palace(McAuley)

Finally West Brom have made one of their set pieces count today! Brunt whips in a fantastic corner and McAuley rises highest to thump home a header. It is a cruel blow for Palace, but the home side look like they have done enough to win today.

SUBSTITUTION: West Brom make their final change of the game as Vydra comes on for Sessegnon.

SAVE! Bolasie bursts into the box and forces Myhill into a save from his powerful low drive.

We had a long period of added on time at the end of the first half and we are going to have four more minutes at the end of the second.

CHANCE! Thomas puts in a cross from the left hand side but it turns into an effort on goal that Myhill is forced to tip wide.

The ball falls to Bolasie on the edge of the box, but he slices his shot horribly and it flies over the bar.

FULL TIME: West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Crystal Palace

West Brom were far from their best but they have managed to return to winning ways today. Berahino and McAuley's strikes sealed all three points and condemned Palace to a seventh successive league defeat

That's all from me at The Hawthorns. Please stay with us for live commentary of the top of the table clash between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates. I promise it will be a game you won't want to miss! Goodbye!

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