Odemwingie launches Baggies over the moon

Sunderland 2 West Bromwich Albion 3

No wonder West Bromwich Albion were over the moon on Wearside yesterday. The last time they completed a league double against Sunderland was in March 1969, four months before Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface and took his one small step for man.

The three points added up to a big step away from the Premier League danger zone for Roy Hodgson's burgeoning Baggies. They are now upinto the top half of the table, above Steve Bruce's stalling Sunderland side, who have now gone eight games without a win. Having gleaned just one point in that spell, they are starting to look like Devon Loch in therelegation stakes.

They look like they will need every one of the six points they still have in hand on the bottom three. "There's no hiding from it," Bruce said afterwards. "We're in a terrible run. We've got to batten down the hatches and come up with a win."

It all started so promisingly for Sunderland. They were in front in the 10th minute, Asamoah Gyan clipping over a cross from the left and full-back Nicky Shorey heading the ball into his own net as he rose to challenge for it with Ahmed Elmohamady It was the Black Cats' first goal for 7 hours and 30 minutes but having found some attacking teeth they were still guilty of pussyfooting in defence.

They were pegged back in the 28th minute, Peter Odemwingie pouncing to bury a left-foot shot after the home guard failed to clear a free-kick and then a cross from the left by Jerome Thomas.

Three minutes later Sunderland were back in front. Kieran Richardson rolled a free-kick to Phil Bardsley, who smacked home a right-footdrive from 25 yards. That left Sunderland 2-1 ahead at the interval but they were outclassed in the second-half.

West Bromwich struck with a slick passing move in the 54th minute, Youssouf Mulumbu combining with Odemwingie on the right before poking home a right-foot shot.

In the 72nd minute, the outstanding Odemwingie provided another prompting assist from the right, Paul Scharner applying the finish with a first-time right-foot shot.

It proved enough to win the game and push Hodgson's side up into the top half of the table, with a haul of 39 points. "I won't be opening any champagne corks until we reach 42," the Baggies' manager said.

Attendance: 41,568

Referee: Peter Walton

Man of the match: Odemwingie

Match rating: 8/10