Dichio takes chance to lift Baggies out of gloom

West Bromwich Albion 1 Middlesbrough

Substitute Danny Dichio scored his first goal since March to provide a determined West Bromwich Albion with their first Premiership victory since 14 September and lift Gary Megson's side out of the bottom three as Middlesbrough slumped to a fifth consecutive away defeat.

Transfer-listed Dichio, who has made only one start since the opening day of the season, had pleaded with the manager to give him another chance, and although the troubled Lee Hughes was preferred in the starting line-up yesterday, Dichio replaced him in the second half to earn his a side a first win in 10 matches.

Hughes had been recalled despite the dressing-room row that followed his appear-ance as substitute in last weekend's defeat at Everton, when several senior players reportedly singled out the striker for fierce criticism. But he struggled to make an impression again yesterday.

Dichio took over after 57 minutes and was on hand to sweep home the winning goal with 18 minutes left, gaining a richly deserved victory. The home side, roared on by a crowd appreciative of their tireless work-rate, produced a performance brimming with determination right from the start, in contrast to Middlesbrough, who looked decidedly unlike a side with ambitions to finish in the top six.

"I put Danny on the list because his standards had slipped, and maybe scoring today was a reaction to that," Megson said. "It was a fantastic result for us against a team of their quality.

"You get despondent when people talk about you as if you are already down because we are not already down. We are on the ropes but still fighting."

Middlesbrough's manager, Steve McClaren, described his side's performance as their poorest of the season. "People have started talking about getting into Europe but this shows how far we still have to go," he said.

Until the last 10 minutes, when Joseph-Désiré Job and Noel Whelan both hit the woodwork, Boro had not remotely threatened to improve on their dismal away form as the home side took control and refused to give it up.

Albion made chance after chance. A left-foot drive by Clement after 10 minutes whistled past the angle of post and bar, to be followed by a stinging low free-kick that goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could only parry uncertainly. Johnson then brought two saves from Schwarzer, in response to which a couple of wildly misdirected efforts by Geremi were all Boro could muster.

The home side's momentum did not slow in the second half. The outstanding Jason Koumas grazed the left-hand post after cutting inside with purpose from the right; Hughes appealed for a penalty when going down under Stuart Parnaby's challenge, then Jason Roberts, cleverly released by Derek McInnes, forced another save from the busy Schwarzer.

At last, however, Albion gained their deserved reward. Koumas drove the ball goalwards after Clement had crossed from the left, Roberts inadvertently got in the way but, fortuitously, the ball spun to the waiting Dichio, who swept it past Schwarzer to send the ground into tumult.

Boro's efforts to earn an equaliser ended painfully for Job, who sent a header thumping against the bar but clashed heads with Darren Moore. Both players took no further part, with the Middlesbrough man stretchered off. His side had to play the final 11 minutes with 10 men, having already used their three substitutes.

McClaren said afterwards: "Joseph lost consciousness for a couple of minutes but I spoke to him in the ambulance. He has gone to hospital for a scan but hopefully it will all be clear." Moore was also taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

West Bromwich Albion 1 Middlesbrough 0
Dichio 72

Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 27,029