Express & Star

West Brom 3 Hull City 2 - Capital One Cup

West Brom left it late to book their place in the last 16 of the Capital One Cup.

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But Saido Berahino netted a last-gasp winner to prevent extra-time and add to the feelgood factor that has grown around the Hawthorns in the space of days.

Hot on the heels of Sunday's surprise Premier League win at Tottenham, a totally new Baggies side bossed the first half and led deservedly through a first goal from record signing Brown Ideye, whose bittersweet night then ended in injury.

But they found themselves behind as Tom Ince and Robbie Brady netted either side of half-time to fire Hull ahead against the run of play.

Albion seemed to be heading out until Gareth McAuley's 88th-minute equaliser appeared to have set-up extra-time.

And they went one better a minute later when substitute Berahino pounced on a pass from debutant Silvestre Varela and netted the goal that set up a last-16 tie at Bournemouth.

Albion made the brighter start but it was the visitors who had the first clear chance when Hatem Ben Arfa got the better of Jason Davidson on the Baggies left and teed up Yannick Sagbo, but Boaz Myhill saved the striker's shot with his legs and Jonas Olsson cleared the loose ball.

But the Baggies were soon into their stride and a smart, passing move down their right flank ended with Sebastian Blanco pulling a cross back for Youssouf Mulumbu, whose long-range effort hit Paul McShane and went wide.

That was the prelude to the Baggies opener, which arrived on 15 minutes from a hugely popular source.

Liam O'Neil crossed from the right to Blanco, his fellow full debutant, whose bullet header was saved by Steve Harper in the Hull goal.

But Ideye was on hand to force home the loose ball from close range for his first Baggies goal.

The Nigeria man got clattered as he finished, however, and his post-goal involvement consisted of another six, limping minutes.

He was unable to shake off the knock and was replaced on 21 minutes by fellow summer arrival Georgios Samaras.

The change did not disrupt Albion's momentum, however, and O'Neil enjoyed a promising end to the half as his side maintained the upper hand.

First he burst down the right but over-hit a cross and then he tried his luck with a 40-yard drive that dipped just wide.

And moments later he got his head to a Victor Anichebe cross but sent his effort wide.

Albion had dominated the opening half but, four minutes before the interval, their defence went AWOL and gifted Hull an equaliser.

Robbie Brady was given time and space to cross from the left and Ince was unmarked to fire the ball home from around five yards at the far post.

The turnaround was complete for the Tigers just five minutes into the second half as more dismal Baggies defending allowed them to score a classy but all-too-easy second.

The Baggies pushed up but left huge gaps and, when they stopped believing wrongly that Brady was offside, the midfielder latched onto Ben Arfa's fine through-ball and produced a smart, first-time finish.

Albion responded well and Blanco's curling free-kick just after the Hull goal dipped wide from just outside the box.

And moments later a neat passing move ended with the ball at Mulumbu's feet, but his 20-yard drive cleared the crossbar by a distance.

The Baggies continued pressing and had a fine chance with 23 minutes remaining when the pacy Cristian Gamboa burst down the right and crossed towards the near post, when O'Neil met it but send his side across goal and wide.

Albion's final throw of the dice came with 14 minutes remaining when Varela was thrown into the fray ahead of schedule with Albion switching to a virtual 4-2-4 system and it almost paid dividends with six minutes to play.

Claudio Yacob's curling shot from the edge of the box was clawed away by Harper and O'Neil and substitute Saido Berahino got in each other's way as they closed in on the rebound.

In the closing moments a 20-yard effort from Blanco was deflected wide for corner which resulted in the Baggies leveller, as O'Neil's flag-kick sparked pinball in the box and McAuley smashed home a half-volley.

And just a minute later the turnaround was complete as Varela fed Berahino, who slotted the ball inside the far post from a tight angle to send home fans into raptures.

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