Two late goals from Kevin Phillips and a cool finish from Felipe Teixeira inflicted a false scoreline on Blues.

Alan Lee hit the post and was denied by a smart save from Dean Kiely and Alex Bruce also went close as Town threatened an equaliser to Ishmael Miller's first-half goal and Blues were very much in the game until the crazy last three minutes.

With Blues pushing for a leveller, Albion broke away to add a second from Teixeira before Phillips grabbed a brace in added on time to make it four as former Town team-mates Tony Mowbray and Jim Magilton went head to head at the Hawthorns.

Sylvain Legwinski came in for his first start of the season in Town's only change from the team that lost at Watford, Gary Roberts making way.

Counago had the first shot of the game, dragging his effort wide of Kiely's goal, then Owen Garvan tested the Albion 'keeper with a drive from distance.

At the other end, Phillips had a header over and a shot wide as the home side began to get a grip on proceedings.

It was the 20-year-old Miller who posed the biggest threat for Tony Mowbray's side through the 90 minutes, the on loan from Manchester City striker just failing to get on the end of a Chris Brunt cross.

He took his goal superbly on 23 minutes. Lee lost possession, Teixeira fed Miller with a neat pass and the frontman kept his cool to angle his shot past Neil Alexander and into the far corner.

Jason De Vos picked up the first booking of the game, catching Phillips with a mistimed tackle as Albion threatened a second. Miller firing over from a Brunt set-up.

Alexander then saved well from the same player after Phillips' free-kick had fallen into his path, the Albion dangerman curling another effort just wide.

Lee had a half chance for Town and Martin Albrechtsen had to defend well in the last seconds of the first-half to clear Dan Harding's cross as Albion went into the break with a goal advantage.

Kiely was forced into action in the first exchanges of the second-half, good work by Counago setting up Lee who brought a save from the 'keeper. Counago then causing problems in the resultant corner, Albion finally scrambling the ball away.

The Spaniard found space inside the home box but his cross evaded his team-mates as Blues threatened. Jonathan Greening then wasted a chance to add to the Baggies' lead as the game continued to flow freely.

Tommy Miller joined De Vos in referee Moss' notebook for a clumsy foul on Paul Robinson. The West Brom full-back blazing well over from the free-kick.

Jim Magilton made his first change on 55 minutes, Jaime Peters coming on for Legwinski, the Canadian international taking on a left sided role.

Lee brought another save from his Republic of Ireland team-mate Kiely after a 40 yard run by the Town frontman, the striker then denied by the head of Leon Barnett as he challenged for a David Wright free-kick.

Peters' pace and trickery was giving the home side a problem, the winger winning a series of free-kicks but Town couldn't take advantage, Wright's effort from 20 yards deflected wide.

Robert Koren replaced £1.25 million signing from Middlesbrough, James Morrison, just past the hour in Albion's first change.

Town were a coat of paint away from equalising when Lee jumped superbly and headed across goal but the ball hit the post as Blues carried the game to the opposition, enjoying a flurry of corners.

Lee then found the sidenetting at the far post from a superb Harding cross as Town looked the more likely to score.

Tommy Miller couldn't find the net from a good position after more impressive work by Counago as Blues surged forward, with Albion making a second substitution on 72 minutes, Richard Chaplow coming on for Brunt. Town immediately making a second change with Billy Clarke on for Counago.

Bruce went close with a towering header from a corner as Blues continued to carve out openings, Jon Walters then denied.

Mowbray made his final change with Pedro Pele on for Miller for the last stages, the striker crashing into advertising hoardings a few minutes earlier.

Pele was immediately in the action with a shot that was blocked after Harding had picked up a yellow card for a foul, while at the other end Walters had a chance to level the scores but his effort went just over the bar.

Clarke showed great technique to drive a volley at goal after Lee's set-up, Kiely holding firm before Albion tied up the points with Teixeira showing a cool head to finish when through on goal on 87 minutes.

Phillips added a third with a tap in after a great cross from Teixeira on 90 and then blazed in a fourth to give a scoreline that was very harsh on Magilton's side.

West Brom: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Albrechtsen, Robinson, Morrison (Koren 61), Greening, Teixeira, Brunt (Chaplow 72), Phillips, Miller (Pele 80). Subs not used: Beattie, MacDonald.

Town: Alexander, Wright, Bruce, De Vos, Harding, Legwinski (Peters 55), T.Miller, Garvan, Walters, Counago (Clarke 75), Lee. Subs not used: Supple, Roberts, Casement. Booked: De Vos, Miller, Harding.