West Brom 1 Stoke City 2 - match report and pictures

Adam struck with three minutes remaining after Stephane Sessegnon's second-half goal for the Baggies had cancelled out Gareth McAuley's first-half own-goal.

But an uneventful game was more memorable for events off the field.

There was a moving minute's applause in memory of former Hawthorns hero Clive 'Chippy' Clark then a rousing tribute to Baggies legend Jeff Astle with thousands of posters raised around the ground.

And ex-Albion striker Peter Odemwingie was booed at every turn on his first return to his former club.

All eyes will now turn to Hawthorns head coach Pepe Mel, who will learn in the next few days whether he will keep his job.

Albion were agonisingly close to the opening goal early on when Gareth McAuley headed a Graham Dorrans corner goalwards and it struck the crossbar.

It bounced down and appeared to cross the line but 'Hawkeye' goalline technology said otherwise.

Early on Odemwingie dragged a tame shot wide of the target.

And another effort from the Nigerian was parried by Ben Foster with McAuley completing the clearance.

But it was 1-0 to the visitors on 22 minutes when McAuley found the net at the other end.

He tried to cut out a left-wing cross from Marko Arnautovic but turned the ball past Ben Foster at his near post.

McAuley made a better intervention moments later to block a cross by Odemwingie as several Stoke players waited to pounce.

Six minutes before the interval a heavy challenge by McAuley in Odemwingie wound up players and supporters and Albion were a little better in the closing moments of the half.

And they threatened when a stinging drive from James Morrison was parried unconvincingly by Thomas Sorensen in the Stoke goal.

Early in the second half Baggies keeper Foster escaped a bizarre incident in which he saved low down from Arnautovic and then totally misjudged a throw that went behind it.

Luckily he was spared an embarrassing own-goal as the ball went for a corner.

And the Baggies were level on 57 minutes.

A clever pass from Graham Dorrans released Craig Dawson on the right and his cross was guided home by Sessegnon.

The Baggies twice went close to taking the lead around the hour-mark, first when Sessegnon's header from another Dawson cross was saved by Sorensen and then when Youssouf Mulumbu burst into the box and rattled the far post with a cross-shot.

With 12 minutes to play Albion had the glimmer of a chance to go ahead for a fine pass from James Morrison released Sessegnon but his touch let him down and the ball ran through to Sorensen.

But with three minutes remaining Stoke regained their lead through Adam, who burst between Mulumbu and McAuley and beat Foster with a low, left-footed shot.