West Brom 0 Swansea City 2 - Report

Second-half goals from Joel Piroe and Cyrus Christie saw the Welsh side secure a deserved win at The Hawthorns.

But the result means Albion - who were fifth when Steve Bruce replaced the sacked Valerien Ismael at the start of February - have now lost eight of their last 11 games.

And that has seen them slump to 13th in the Championship table - eight points behind sixth-placed Luton with 12 games remaining.

It is their overall performances, though, that have left fans fuming with the Baggies now a shadow of the side that started the season so well.

And it means hopes of an instant return to the Premier League look as good as over - with Bruce's side looking bereft of confidence and appearing incapable of stringing a run of results together.

Report

Bruce said in the build-up to the game he was going to stick with the 4-3-3 formation he implemented following his appointment as boss.

And that proved to be the case with the 61-year-old opting to make just one change from the team that fell to defeat at Middlesbrough.

It saw Callum Robinson replace top scorer Karlan Grant on the left flank with Grady Diangana on the right and Andy Carroll the central striker.

Despite a large number of fans hoping Taylor Gardner-Hickman would be recalled, Bruce opted to continue with Alex Mowatt, Jayson Molumby and Adam Reach in the middle of the park.

Swansea lined-up in a 3-4-2-1 system that saw Piroe and Jamie Paterson both deployed in a number 10 role.

Former Albion target Michael Obafemi was the lone centre-forward.

The visitors stuck to their possession-based principles early on with Russell Martin's side moving the ball well but without ever looking threatening.

Albion, meanwhile, were content to let them have it in non-dangerous areas with Bruce's men then looking to press when they felt the time was right.

Gradually, though, the Baggies began to exert more control over proceedings with Diangana producing the types of flicks and tricks that made him so effective when the team last won promotion from the Championship.

And they came a whisker away from opening the scoring when Dara O'Shea galloped down the right before sending in a wonderfully inviting cross.

That was met by Robinson who produced a cute glancing header that cannoned against the post.

The half continued in a similar pattern from that point with Swansea neat and tidy on the ball but limited in the final third.

And Albion went close again when Robinson sent in a low cross which Diangana stabbed wide.

Just before the break, though, Swansea finally managed to turn all their possession into a couple of chances.

They almost opened the scoring when Matt Grimes produced a sensational strike from 25-yards that flew inches past the post.

Ryan Manning then sent in a dangerous cross which found his fellow wing-back Cyrus Christie on the opposite side.

And he produced a powerful header which Sam Johnstone had to beat away.

Bruce made a change at the break with Darnell Furlong replacing O'Shea at right-back.

But it was Swansea who were well on top as the clock ticked past the hour mark with Hannes Wolf seeing a goal-bound strike blocked in the box.

That prompted Bruce to make a change with youngster Quevin Castro replacing Reach in the middle of the park.

Still it was Martin's men who were looking far the more dangerous of the two teams.

And they should have opened the scoring in the 70th minute when Ryan Manning sent in a dangerous cross.

That was met by an unmarked Obafemi. But he headed over when he should have done better.

Just minutes later, Albion came a whisker away from taking the lead.

Robinson rode a number of challenges to get to the edge of the box.

And he then produced a lovely curling strike which hit the post.

To compound the Baggies misery, Swansea took the lead just moments later.

After Diangana lost the ball, substitute Olivier Natcham led a counter-attack which Castro failed to stop with a poorly timed challenge.

And the former Celtic man then carried the ball into the box before squaring for Piroe who fired through the legs of Johnstone and into the net.

In the 84th minute, it was 2-0.

Albion failed to deal with a low cross into the box with Christie on hand to lash that ball into the back of the net.

That lead to a mass exodus inside The Hawthorns - while the fans that did remain united in a chorus of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' towards the players.

And that was impossible to argue with - with Albion taking just one point from five games in February - and scoring just one goal in the process.

Teams

Albion (4-3-3): Johnstone, O'Shea (Furlong 46), Bartley, Ajayi, Townsend, Mowatt, Molumby (Grant 77), Reach (Castro 65), Diangana, Carroll, Robinson.

Subs not used: Button, Kipre, Clarke, Gardner-Hickman, Grant.

Swansea (3-4-2-1): Fisher, Cabango, Downes, Naughton, Manning, Grimes, Wolf, Christie, Paterson (Ntcham 77), Piroe (Joseph 90), Obafemi (Smith 83).

Subs not used: Hamer, Fulton, Latibeaudiere, Burns.