Middlesbrough beat Albion 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium on Friday night.
Goals by David Strelec and Kaly Sene either side of half-time earned the table-toppers all three Sky Bet Championship points, despite Aune Heggebø's late header.
Albion almost opened the scoring inside the opening minute when Nat Phillips forced an early save from Sol Brynn.
But Boro quickly grew into it, with Sverre Nypan firing wide and Tommy Conway seeing his near-post finish well saved.
They then found the game’s first goal midway through the half via Strelec, who poked home after a long-throw was flicked on - and it stayed 1-0 at the break.
Ryan Mason’s men came flying out following the interval yet couldn’t quite grab a leveller. Isaac Price nodded a superb Jed Wallace cross inches past the post, while Wallace himself dragged one off-target and Alex Mowatt shot over.
Ousmane Diakite also had a low finish stopped before, against the run of play, Middlesbrough doubled their advantage. Substitute Sene converted around the hour mark to make it 2-0, giving the visitors a mountain to climb.
Toby Collyer, Mikey Johnston and Josh Maja were introduced as the Baggies attempted a comeback, however the hosts held firm and claimed the victory - even though Heggebø scored a stoppage-time consolation.
Albion: Griffiths, Campbell, Phillips, Mepham, Styles, Price, Molumby, Diakite (Maja 76), Mowatt (Collyer 62), Wallace (Johnston 62), Heggebø.
Substitutes: Wildsmith, Bielik, Gilchrist, Taylor, Iling-Junior, Bostock.