Match Reports

Albion 3-2 Swansea City

Albion's players celebrate Swift's goal against Swansea

Albion claimed their first win of the season with a 3-2 victory over Swansea City on Saturday.

Semi Ajayi’s volley earned the hosts a half-time lead at The Hawthorns, before an unfortunate own-goal by Carl Rushworth handed them a second straight after the break.

A composed John Swift penalty 26 minutes from the end added a third, which they were thankful for when Harry Darling and Nathan Wood pulled back late consolations.

The Baggies have a six-day break until their next fixture – a tip to Leeds on Friday night.

Corberán stayed with the 3-4-3 formation he opted for at Stoke but made eight changes to his XI and was without Brandon Thomas-Asante, who picked up a minor knock in midweek.

Albion began brightly and grabbed an 18th-minute advantage through Ajayi – the defender converting a controlled volley after Darnell Furlong’s long-throw had caused chaos.

The home side pressed the visitors without managing to add another ahead of the interval, Okay Yokuslu side-footing Swift’s low corner wide in their only other notable chance.

Following half-time the Baggies did grab that second, though, when Furlong flicked a Swift cross onto the crossbar, and the ball went in off the unfortunate Rushworth.

It soon looked done and dusted thanks to Swift’s spot-kick, the midfielder converting from 12-yards for 3-0 in the 64th minute.

But back came Swansea to cause Albion a scare. First Darling netted a powerful header, then Wood scrambled the ball home as the away team pulled themselves into the contest.

There were opportunities to get the game’s sixth goal in a nervy ending – Ajayi seeing a venomous strike blocked and the Swans going close twice down the other end – yet thankfully the Baggies held out to win 3-2.

Albion: Palmer; Ajayi, Kipre, Pieters (Bartley 82); Furlong, Molumby, Yokuslu (Chalobah 68), Furlong; Wallace (Sarmiento 78), Phillips (Mowatt 68), Swift (Maja 78).

Substitutes: Griffiths, Ingram, Gardner-Hickman, Fellows.

Attendance: 24,051 (1,974)