Peterborough 2 Albion 3 - analysis

The new Baggies boss has had six weeks to find his feet at The Hawthorns. But last night in Peterborough he learned just how draining his new job can be.

When the dust settled on a tense evening at London Road, the head coach emerged onto the touchline and collected his thoughts with a cigarette.

He now knows his latest footballing assignment is unlikely to help his chances of kicking the habit.

The old gaffer might be gone and the captain on his way.

But Albion proved with victory at Peterborough that a large slice of the 'Championship spirit' lives on in the men that remain.

After a solid home point and a hard-fought away win, life under Di Matteo was looking pleasingly effective but a little bit sedate.

The latest victory, however, was positively 'Mowbray-esque' in its ebb and flow and nail-biting drama.

It contained all the exhilarating highs that thrilled supporters two seasons ago as Mowbray's Albion surged to the Championship title.

But it featured much of the frustration and stomach-churning tension that made that triumph as draining as it was memorable.

There were some major differences between last night's roller-coaster success and those that characterised Mowbray's reign.

For starters, one of the outcasts of Mowbray's regime was at the heart of the victory. Luke Moore's track record suggests supporters should not be counting chickens just yet.

But, while there remains much room for improvement, the former Villa striker is finally looking like a man with an interest in the Albion cause.

His first goal last night owed much to fortune. His second owed everything to the extra confidence inspired by the earlier strike.

A firing Moore could play a huge role in a serious promotion campaign, but keeping the enigmatic hitman hungry is just one of the challenges facing Di Matteo.

At the back, the task remains sizable. While the commitment in the ranks was without question last night, the composure to handle sustained spells 'under the pump' still requires lots of work.

When Posh applied pressure the Baggies rearguard looked ragged.

Thankfully they were defending a commanding lead by the time the home side managed to make any real impression.

And the 3-0 margin that ultimately proved vital arrived thanks to the best 45 minutes of football of Di Matteo's embryonic reign.

While they ended the night hanging on, the Baggies spent much of it reminding Posh just why they are favourites to bounce straight back to the top flight.

They were crisp, sharp and too hot to handle on the break. And, in Moore, they finally had a man to add the cutting edge to their pleasing play.

They could hardly have made a better start as they went ahead before some of their fans had taken their place on the terrace behind Scott Carson's goal.

And the opening goal was gifted to a large extend by a nervous-looking home side.

Shelton Martis's forward ball was nodded on by Chris Brunt and Gabriel Zakuani failed to deal with it. He presented it to Moore, whose low shot squirmed past the diving Joe Lewis and over the line.

Moments later Albion could have doubled their lead when a fine lob by Graham Dorrans picked out the run of Chris Brunt but the winger's dipping shot flew wide.

But in the moments that followed the home side should have been level.

First Craig Mackail-Smith had a goal chalked off for offside and then the visitors survived a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Mackail-Smith had a shot saved by Scott Carson, George Boyd hit the post and Aaron McLean saw his shot from the rebound deflect behind.

Albion failed to improve their marking in the moments that followed and a free header across goal by Craig Morgan gave Mackail-Smith a great chance which he headed wide.

But Posh were punished 11 minutes before the interval when Albion scored an excellent second goal.

Marek Cech caught substitute Russell Martin in possession and fed Chris Wood, whose fine ball released Moore to fire a clinical second.

Four minutes before the break it was 3-0 and Moore again had a hand in the goal. He fed Shaun Cummings on the overlap and his cross was parried by Lewis as far as Brunt, who rifled home a right-footed shot.

Posh threw themselves a lifeline in first-half stoppage time as Mackail-Smith finally found his range. He nipped in front of Joe Mattock to meet Shaun Batt's cross and powered home a header.

And eight minutes after the restart it was 'game on' as the opened the visitors up again and drew to within one goal.

Boyd got the better of Cummings out wide and crossed for Mclean, who slid in to force it home. The ground erupted three minutes later when Boyd crossed, Mclean charged into Carson and Mackail-Smith headed in, but referee Graham Horwood awarded a free-kick for a foul by Mclean.

Albion found a second wind after that let-off and sub Robert Koren had a shot from the corner of the area blocked by Lewis.

They should have restored their two-goal cushion when Morgan presented possession to Moore on the edge of the area but the striker hesitated and the chance was gone.

Jerome Thomas was introduced for his Baggies debut in the closing stages and he created a chance for himself with some clever footwork to take him past Martin.

There was just time for one more nervous moment for the Baggies as Carson fumbled a powerful Martin shot but reacted quickly to grab it at the second attempt.

Dorrans received his marching orders deep into stoppage time when his tired, late challenge on Charlie Lee earned him a deserved second yellow card. On another night it could have been a straight red.

But the final whistle blew just before Dorrans could reach the dressing room and he, his team-mates and their fans could breathe again.

By Steve Madeley.