Roberto Di Matteo refused to crack a smile – but the Albion boss had plenty to grin about.

The head coach looked like a man who had lost a tenner and found a pound during his grim-faced assessment of a memorable Hawthorns afternoon.

But when raw emotion gave way to sober Sunday musing, the Italian must have reflected warmly on a perfect response to a tricky few weeks.

Five emphatic goals, a second straight clean sheet, a 14th different Albion scorer and a slick new striking duo rising to the challenge – not bad for a team that began the day with pressure mounting on their shoulders.

It warranted a bottle of wine and a proper celebration. Instead, Di Matteo opted for his customary post-match cigarette and a blunt retort to those who dared to question the potency of his team.

It was an unexpected and confusing response, after the Baggies took Watford apart with a display of ruthless precision.

Yet the low-key, almost grumpy reaction from the man at the helm might just serve his team well in the vital days that lie ahead.

This latest 5-0 triumph arrived just six weeks after the first, an even more impressive demolition of promotion rivals Middlesbrough.

That win brought confident claims and talk of ‘statements’ to the rest of the division. Those words were followed by an early-autumn stutter that killed any hopes that the Baggies might accelerate clear of the chasing pack in the race for promotion.

So a touch of reverse psychology might be the wise approach from Di Matteo. Just as long as he does not expect the fans to join in.

The Albion faithful departed the Hawthorns on Saturday enthused with renewed hope about their team’s prospects and excited by their first sighting of an experimental new forward pairing.

Most assumed that Simon Cox would have to oust Luke Moore to earn the starting place he craved in Di Matteo’s team. But lack of serious training for a recouping Roman Bednar allied to fears of burn-out to teenager Chris Wood saw Cox and Moore deployed in tandem against the Hornets.

The early signs suggest the Baggies boss might have stumbled upon a combination worth a further look. Cox arrived from Swindon to score goals but his first 90 minutes in Albion colours proved he has much more to offer than simply the ability to sniff out chances.

His running of the channels, appreciation of space and unselfish link-up play made him an instant success in the eyes of the fans. Perhaps most crucially, his presence appeared to rejuvenate Moore, after a series of increasingly flat displays that was trying the patience of the usually tolerant Albion fanbase.

The pair combined for two of the five Baggies goals and Cox’s awareness of Moore’s movement led to three more close-run-things, with the former Villa man apparently re-enthused by the accuracy of his new young partner’s service.

The yellow card correctly handed to Moore for going to ground in search of a penalty was the only blight on an otherwise fabulous debut outing for the rookie pairing.

It was a bad day for Bednar, who will now expect to be made to wait a while for his next start in the League. Chris Brunt will have similar worries, after a Friday training setback for the Northern Ireland international presented Filipe Teixeira with an unexpected opportunity that he grasped with both hands.

The Portuguese playmaker did not match the eye-catching form that made him a fans’ favourite two years ago, but there were more than enough inventive touches and fine body-swerves to get the punters on their feet.

Teixeira has waited patiently for his chance and can now expect another one in the near future.

Yet it was an unlikely combination that made the vital early breakthrough for Albion, who had conceded the opening goal in their previous five home games.

Joe Mattock galloped forwards with purpose on the overlap and was fouled. Graham Dorrans produced a dream free-kick to the far post and Jonas Olsson leapt to head in his third goal of the season.

The Swede’s header relieved a stadium full of nerves and the Baggies instantly played with an added freedom with Dorrans a driving force, Teixeira a constant threat and Cox an attacking pivot. They were aided and abetted by the Hornets, whose failure to pressurise home players handed the home side a major advantage.

Olsson took full advantage when he took time to pick out Moore with a high ball and watched as the striker was clipped by Adrian Mariappa. Dorrans did not give goalkeeper Scott Loach a sniff with the resultant penalty.

Moore screamed for another spot-kick just after the half-hour when a slide-rule ball from Cox picked out his partner, who went clear but tumbled under Loach’s tackle. But Moore picked up a yellow card for his troubles.

The Baggies survived a ragged 10 minutes before half-time with Mariappa heading a good chance over the bar.

Cox should have opened his League account soon after the restart with a header that he put over, but turned provider just a minutes later with a pinpoint ball into the run of Moore.

His first shot was blocked by Loach, but Moore recovered well to bend a powerful follow-up into the bottom corner. Defender Gianni Zuiverloon was the unlikely scorer of the fourth, cutting into the box and scoring low across the face of Loach.

Moore then returned Cox’s earlier favours to help the former Swindon man claim the goal the Baggies fans were willing him to get. The former Villa striker knocked a long ball into Cox’s path and his first-time shot fizzed low past the hand of Loach. The goalkeeper should have done better, but Cox did not care.

The summer signing was all smiles as three months of pent-up frustration poured out in his celebration. Even his manager must have been delighted at seeing his side rediscover their mojo.

But Roberto Di Matteo was not letting on.

By Steve Madeley