Swansea 1 West Brom 2 - Report and pictures
Darren Moore has earned plenty of plaudits for the attacking brand of football he is developing at Albion this season, but this was a throwback victory from the Tony Pulis era.
After falling behind 10 minutes in to an Oli McBurnie goal, the Baggies roared back with two headers from two centre-backs from two Matt Phillips corners.
The first was a well-placed looping header from Craig Dawson three minutes after conceding. The second was a simple one for Ahmed Hegazi at the back post on the stroke of half-time.
Despite being outpassed by a Swansea team who were pleasing on the eye for large parts of the game, particularly in the first half, this was the sort of victory teams need to make in order to mount a promotion charge.
Albion took the sting out of the game in the second half to earn their third successive victory and move up to fourth place, just three points off top spot.
While it may not have been the free-flowing attacking football the Baggies have delivered in other games this season, it was a gritty away win built on steel that may just please the coaching staff even more.
Moore kept faith in the starting line-up that beat Leeds and Ipswich, which meant there was still no place in the team for Dwight Gayle.
Graham Potter made two changes, bringing in Martin Olsson and Cameron Carter-Vickers in order to switch to a back five with wing-backs.
After a minute's silence before the match for former Swans defender Kevin Austin, who died of pancreatic cancer last week, Dan James had the first shot on target, although it was easily gathered by Sam Johnstone.
Before the match, Potter confirmed that he wouldn't abandon his footballing principles despite conceding four goals at home to Norwich on Saturday playing out from the back.
And true to his word, the hosts started by building up their attacks in defence and attempting to sweep through the pitch.
Albion pressed them high and hard, with Matt Phillips pushing up to help the front three, but the Swans were zipping the ball around with purpose.
Eight minutes in, there was a nervy moment for Johnstone, who flapped at a high ball into the box, but it was safely cleared.
That was merely a warning shot, because two minutes later Swansea had taken the lead after Matt Grimes and McBurnie combined on the edge of the area with a neat one-two.
Johnstone parried the initial shot from the midfielder, but it fell straight into McBurnie's path, who fired in his eighth goal of the season.
The Baggies were behind for less than three minutes though, because soon after, Dawson rose highest at the back post to meet Matt Phillips's fizzed corner with a well-placed header back across goal that looped inside the far post.
That was Albion's first meaningful attempt of the game, and in truth, it was Swansea who were controlling proceedings.
Twenty minutes in, Dan James had a great chance to retake the lead when he was played in behind Dawson, but his shot was tamely struck straight at Johnstone.
McBurnie then plucked a long ball out of the sky before lobbing the Albion keeper, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Swansea were having far too much joy down the left hand side, where wing-back Martin Olsson was hugging the touchline and doubling up on an isolated Tosin Adarabioyo with Dan James.
Up the other end, Robson-Kanu's deflected shot nearly fell kindly to James Morrison, but Leroy Fer shepherded him out of the box expertly.
The Baggies began to grow into the game after that, and one minute before the break they took the lead through another Phillips corner.
This one was swung in to the far post, rather than fizzed, and this time it was Hegazi who nodded in from right under the bar to give them a lead they probably didn't really deserve.
There was still time for the home fans to appeal for a penalty when James went down under Dawson's challenge, but few Swansea players appealed, and referee James Linington said no.
Ten minutes after the break and the hosts appealed for a spot-kick again when a cross seemed to strike Dawson's arm, but once more Linington waved away the shouts.
But Albion were begining to create their own chances by then. Jay Rodriguez had a dangerous cross bounce just wide of the far post, before his shot was blocked on the edge of the box.
Potter reacted by switching to a back four, but the game continued to see-saw from one end to the other without either side creating too much.
But Harvey Barnes is capable of magic moments and despite struggling all evening, with 17 minutes to go he cracked the inside of the post with a wicked shot that so nearly wrapped the points up.
Potter sent on Jefferson Montero and Wilfried Bony in an attempt to make a difference, but Moore left his starting XI intact until the 87th minute, when he finally sent on Gayle for Barnes.
Swansea had been hammering on the door before that, and hit the top of the crossbar from just one out of many corners they slung into the box.
But the Baggies held firm, and saw out their third win in a row to keep them in the developing pack at the top of the league.
KEY MOMENTS
10 GOAL SWANSEA - McBurnie pounces on the rebound after a neat one-two between him and Grimes.
12 GOAL ALBION - Dawson meets Phillips's corner at the far post and loops a header back across goal and inside the post.
27 McBurnie lobs Johnstone but the goal is ruled out for offside.
44 GOAL ALBION - Hegazi nods in Phillips's corner at the far post from one yard out.
45 Swansea want a penalty when James goes down under Dawson's challenge but referee says no.
55 Swansea have another shout for a penalty when a cross hits Dawson's arm, but once again, nothing is given.
73 Barnes hits the inside of the post but it bounces clear
MAN OF THE MATCH
Ahmed Hegazi - A man mountain at the back throughout.
POSITION IN THE TABLE
4th, with 34 points from 19 games.
TEAMS
Swansea (3-4-2-1): Mulder; Van der Hoorn, Rodon, Carter-Vickers; Roberts (McKay 61), Fer (c) )(Montero 71), Grimes, Olsson; James (Bony 77), McBurnie, Celina.
Unused subs: Nordfeldt, John, Naughton, Fulton.
Albion (4-3-3): Johnstone; Adarabioyo, Dawson, Hegazi, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore (c), Morrison; Robson-Kanu (Barry 90+2), Rodriguez, Barnes (Gayle 87).
Unused subs: Myhill, Mears, Brunt, Hoolahan, Harper.
Referee: James Linington
Attendance: 17,865
