ALBION recorded back-to-back league wins on the road for the first time in two-and-a-half years as they eased to their third straight Championship victory with an impressive Selhurst Park display.

The Baggies created a host of chances before Zoltan Gera finally broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time as he stooped to head past Hungary team-mate Gabor Kiraly.

It was the Magic Magyar's third goal of the season - but not even he can currently out-gun the electric Diomansy Kamara.

The Senegal pace ace doubled the visitors' lead within three minutes of the restart to take his tally to five goals in just 225 minutes of league football this term, notching for the third successive match.

And while the 1,123-strong travelling support enjoyed the continuation of the Albion goal fest - that's 16 in five games - the Baggies' rearguard also stood firm to record their first clean sheet in seven attempts.

Reserve team boss Craig Shakespeare was in the dugout for the South London encounter, with manager-in-waiting Tony Mowbray watching from the stands, and he was forced to make one change to the side that thrashed Ipswich 5-1 on Saturday.

Portman Road hat-trick hero Kevin Phillips was ruled out after picking up a calf injury in training yesterday (Monday). Nathan Ellington replaced him to partner Kamara in attack.

Albion made a lively start and Gera pounced on a loose ball 30 yards out in the fifth minute and instantly sent a dipping volley goalwards, which compatriot Kiraly just managed to tip over the bar.

From the resultant Jason Koumas corner, skipper Curtis Davies headed on and the ball dropped to Ellington in the box who, with his back to goal, could not get a shot away.

Palace's first real threat came in the 19^th minute when Shefki Kuqi headed back across goal and James Scowcroft failed to make proper contact with his attempted overhead kick, leaving Jonathan Greening to clear the danger.

Kamara tussled with Leon Cort just inside the Eagles penalty area three minutes later and the ball broke to Gera, who fired a low first-time effort just past the left-hand post.

Moments later, Gary Borrowdale swung in a dangerous cross at the other end and Chris Perry just managed to stretch and head away to deny Scowcroft a clear sight of goal as the hosts eased their way into the game.

The Championship encounter was fast becoming an end-to-end affair and Kiraly again had to be alert to turn over Davies' 18-yard looping header from Martin Albrechtsen's centre.

Now with the bit firmly between their teeth, the Baggies looked to have taken the lead from the resulting Darren Carter flag-kick as Kamara powerfully headed goalwards, only for Ben Watson to nod it off the line.

Another Carter corner then saw the marauding Paul Robinson head just over the bar with Kiraly beaten.

Cort missed a good opportunity for Peter Taylor's men in the 31^st minute when he lost his marker from Watson's deep free-kick but miscued his close-range finish.

A minute later, Koumas broke free down the left and sailed in a cross that Ellington should have hit the target with but directed his header over.

Five minutes before the break, Robinson missed a gilt-edged chance to notch only his second goal for the club when he stole into the penalty area but headed Carter's right-wing corner wide of the left-hand upright from 12 yards.

After the flurry of Baggies chances, Scowcroft pipped Perry to Watson's near-post cross and flashed a header just wide of the goal.

But it was the visitors who deservedly broke the deadlock in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.

Koumas sprang quickly from the middle of the park and fed Ellington out wide on the right.

'The Duke' took a touch before firing in a low cross and Gera's 40-yard sprint was rewarded as he stooped to head home inside the six-yard box.

Peter Taylor made a change at the break and reverted to a 4-3-3 formation, with Mark Hudson making way for Dougie Freedman.

But within three minutes of the restart, the Eagles boss found his team two goals behind.

Koumas threaded Kamara through with an exquisite ball and the former Portsmouth ace kept his head to slide a left-foot finish past the imposing figure of Kiraly.

Koumas himself ran at the hosts' defence in the 50^th minute and curled a right-foot shot inches wide of the right-hand post with Kiraly beaten.

Palace were not about to lie down, however, and Kuqi's mistimed header into Pascal Zuberbuhler's arms in the 53^rd minute was quickly followed by substitute Freedman heading straight at the Swiss keeper.

A minute later, Ellington pounced on defensive indecision by the Eagles and, after knocking his first effort against Kiraly's legs, he picked up the rebound and swivelled, only to see his second shot well saved by the Hungarian stopper.

Just before the hour mark, Cort leapt highest at the back post and headed wide when he should have at least hit the target from Mark Kennedy's right-wing corner.

The chances kept coming and Davies headed just wide after finding himself in acres of space from Carter's inswinging flag-kick.

Ellington played Kamara in again in the 66^th minute and, such is his form, it was a shock not to see the Baggies pace ace bulge the net as Kiraly pulled off a superb save low to his left.

Taylor made a double change two minutes later with former Blues striker Clinton Morrison and Stuart Green replacing Kuqi and Carl Fletcher.

But it was still Albion who looked the more likely to trouble the scoresheet.

The industrious Carter found Robinson in the box in the 80^th minute but the left-back's right-foot shot lacked the power to beat Kiraly.

Substitute Green almost added to his goal against Cardiff on Saturday when he hooked the ball over Zuberbuhler in the 90^th minute, only to see his effort rebound off the left-hand post and with it any chance of a late comeback.

PALACE (4-4-2): Kiraly; Hudson (Freedman HT), Cort, Ward, Borrowdale; B Watson, Fletcher (Green 68), Soares, Kennedy; Kuqi (Morrison 68), Scowcroft. Subs not used: Speroni (gk), Granville.

ALBION (4-4-2): Zuberbuhler; Albrechtsen, C Davies, Perry, Robinson; Gera, Greening, Carter, Koumas; Kamara, Ellington (Quashie 73). Subs not used: Steele (gk), Hartson, McShane, S Watson.

GOALS: ALBION - Gera (45+1), Kamara (48).

REFEREE: R Lee (Brentwood).

ATTENDANCE: 16,105.

ALBION STARMAN: Jason Koumas.

(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)