John Swift’s first-half penalty helped Albion seal a narrow victory over Huddersfield Town at The Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.
There were further chances to build on the lead after the interval, with Daryl Dike having a couple of efforts at goal.
Swift’s penalty would prove crucial, though, as his decisive spot-kick helped the Baggies extend their unbeaten home run to 11 matches in all competitions.
Head Coach Carlos Corberán made one change to the side which defeated Wigan Athletic in the Baggies’ last game, bringing in Adam Reach for Marc Albrighton and including Tom Rogic on the bench following his recovery from injury.
Confidence would have been high in the Baggies squad following ten unbeaten matches at The Hawthorns, but it was the visitors who came closest early on.
With 17 minutes gone, defender Tom Lees will have wondered how he didn’t give his team the initiative, heading wide from a free corner just six yards out.
Erik Pieters was a welcome influence in the attacking phases for Albion during the first 45. He forced Terriers keeper Tomas Vaclik into a fumbling save and, following Okay Yokuslu’s driven effort - which flew just wide - it was down the left flank where the hosts found joy.
However, it was another left-footed, defensive figure in Conor Townsend who helped gain Albion the chance to break the deadlock, latching onto some quick passing with Jed Wallace to tempt Huddersfield defender Matty Pearson into bringing him down inside the box.
Referee Dean Whitestone had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Swift did the necessary - sending Vaclik the wrong way to slot his penalty into the left corner.
Despite a strong end to the first half, the second sparked some danger for Albion’s defence.
Pieters lost the ball just inside the away side’s half, allowing Martyn Waghorn to send David Kasumu through on goal with Josh Griffiths. Thankfully for the home side, the midfielder passed up his opportunity when he poked the ball wide with just the Baggies’ shot-stopper to beat.
Other than Town’s most notable chance, it was a largely quiet end to proceedings.
Michal Helik went for a spectacular effort inside the Albion box after a free-kick looped his way, although it wouldn’t be a similar finish, with the big defender shooting wide of the mark as Corberán’s side sealed another crucial three points.
Albion: Griffiths; Furlong, O’Shea ©️, Pieters, Townsend; Molumby, Yokuslu (Chalobah 75); Wallace (Ajayi 90+7), Swift (Rogic 87), Reach (Albrighton 75); Dike.
Substitutes: Button, Gardner-Hickman, Malcolm.
Attendance: 23,665