West Bromwich Albion 2 - 0 Coventry City

[dutchman]

Lampard suffers first loss as West Brom end winless run



West Bromwich Albion won at home for the first time in almost three months as they beat Coventry City to inflict a first defeat on new Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard.

After drawing 10 of their previous 11 games, it was only the Baggies' second win since beating Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle on 21 September.

And, although the result flattered the hosts, they reserved the same treatment for Rooney's former England team-mate Lampard.

The Baggies needed the huge help of a deflected Alex Mowatt shot to get them off and running in the 11th minute, but an otherwise even Midlands derby was finally settled by an excellent second goal from Karlan Grant after 74 minutes.

That lifted Albion back into the Championship play-off zone in sixth, 10 points off top spot, while Coventry are 11 points worse off in 16th, four points clear of the relegation zone.

Albion went ahead thanks to their second huge moment of fortune in four days.

Having equalised on Sunday against Sheffield United when Tom Fellows' cross deflected in, this time it was Mowatt who found favour from the footballing gods.

He let fly from outside the box and watched in amusement as his shot hit Josh Eccles to find the left corner - the opposite one to the one Brad Collins had been diving towards.

Baggies goalkeeper Alex Palmer had to be off his line sharply just before the break to keep out Norman Bassette, who had already been denied early on by a combination of Torbjorn Heggem and the Albion keeper.

And, although still missing injured US international striker Haji Wright, it was the resurgent Sky Blues who looked likeliest to score in the second half.

Albion old boy Brandon Thomas-Asante came off the bench and it was from his left-wing cross that Tatsuhiro Sakamoto had a header turned wide at the near post by Palmer.

Milan van Ewijk then had a shot blocked just wide before Albion sealed victory, when Grant burst into the box right through the middle of the Sky Blues' back line to power his fifth goal of the season into the bottom right corner.

Like Mowatt, it was also his first goal of the campaign at The Hawthorns, but then it was also only Albion's eighth home goal in 10 games this season.

Having scored just twice in their first seven home matches this term, they have now scored twice in each of their past three home games - and The Hawthorns goal drought does at least appear to be truly at an end.

After a draw, a win and a defeat in his first three games at the helm, Lampard's Coventry are back in action on Saturday with a home game against Hull City (12:30 GMT).

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard told BBC Sport:

"We played some nice stuff, created more chances but you have to take them when they're there. And we're missing Haji Wright.

"The first goal was a deflection. We can't do too much about that. The second goal, we'll have to take a look at that.

"These are a top-six team and we more than matched them but there's no point getting too negative. We just need to get it right.

"It's important we stay mentally on the right side of it. If we keep playing at that level, the chances will get taken."