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West Brom 4 Cardiff City 2 - Report and pictures

Albion are back on top of the Championship after securing a 4-2 win over Cardiff.

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Matheus Pereira of West Bromwich Albion celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 with Charlie Austin of West Bromwich Albion. (AMA)

After slipping to a first league defeat of the season at Leeds on Tuesday, Slaven Bilic's side returned to winning ways in a breathtaking game at The Hawthorns.

The Baggies were 3-0 up after 70 minutes with Matheus Pereria, Grady Diangana and Charlie Austin all on taget.

That scoreline was no more than Bilic's side deserved with Albion, overall, comfortably the better team.

But Cardiff refused to give up the fight and two quick-fire goals from Danny Ward set up what proved to be an incredibly tense final five minutes.

In the end, though, Albion got themselves over the line with Romaine Sawyers scoring in stoppage time to ensure the home fans could enjoy the final few minutes.

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Bilic made one change to the team that fell to defeat at Leeds on Tuesday when naming his starting line-up.

Up front, Charlie Austin came back into the side with Hal Robson-Kanu the man to make way.

It meant Albion continued in their 4-2-3-1 system with Matt Phillips on the right-wing, Grady Diangana on the left and Matheus Pereira in the number 10 role.

Cardiff lined up in the same formation with Callum Paterson behind lone-striker Robert Glatzel.

Gavin Whyte started on the right flank with Junior Hoilett on the left.

It was Warnock's side who started the game on the front foot with the Bluebirds creating a number of half-chances to open the scoring in the opening 10 minutes.

First Glatzel rose highest to meet a free-kick from the right but his header was saved by a diving Sam Johnstone.

Aden Flint then saw an acrobatic half-volley from inside the box blocked by a defender.

Albion hadn't got going but gradually they started to grow into the game.

And only an outstanding stop from Alex Smithies prevented them from taking the lead.

After collecting the ball on the right, Phillips curled in a beautifully pinpointed cross.

And that was met by Austin who connected with the ball perfectly but saw his effort stopped by the out-stretched leg of the goalkeeper.

Just two minutes later, though, the Baggies opened the scoring in spectacular fashion with Pereira curling a delicious strike from 25-yards past Smithies and into the corner.

Cardiff continued to look lively despite the set-back.

It was Albion, though, who were now comfortably the more dangerous of the two teams.

And they created two more excellent chances to double their advantage even before they went 2-0 up.

First Semi Ajayi saw a header sail narrowly wide after he met a corner.

Austin then looked certain to score when Diangana danced his way to the byline before cutting the ball back for the forward.

The 30-year-old met the delivery just yards from goal.

But yet again, Smithies produced an outstanding save to keep the ball out.

In the 42nd minute, though, Bilic's side did double their advantage.

Jake Livermore charged forward before finding Diangana.

And the West Ham loanee then raced towards goal before lashing a spectacular strike into the bottom corner from 25-yards.

Albion were forced into a change early in the second-half with Diangana coming off with a minor knock to be replaced by Kyle Edwards.

The Baggies looked to be in control of the game and were moving the ball well as the clock ticked past the hour mark.

Cardiff, though, were looking dangerous from set-pieces.

And they thought they had pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go when Glatzel headed in a free-kick from the left only to be flagged offside.

That proved a wake-up ball for the Baggies who had seemingly put the game to bed moments later when Austin netted his first league goal of the season.

The forward collected the ball on his chest 30-yards out before racing into the box.

And he then fired through the legs of Smithies before sparking a mass celebration that involved all of this team mates.

Cardiff, though, were not giving up the fight.

And they pulled a goal back just moments later when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing slipped in Danny Ward who fired past Johnstone.

Warnock's side were showing bundles of character with anxiety then spreading like wildfire around The Hawthorns when they made it 3-2 from a corner.

Ward was again the man on target with the forward heading in a Josh Murphy corner.

With five minutes still to play, Albion had to dig deep with the Baggies doing well to defend a number of corners.

But in final minutes they wrapped up the points with Sawyers firing in after he was played through on goal by Pereira.

The result means Albion have now won their last three matches on home turf.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Johnstone, Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Ferguson, Livermore, Sawyers, Phillips (Krovinovic 73), Pereira, Diangana (Edwards 52), Austin (Zohore 81).

Subs not used: Bond, O'Shea, Gibbs, Robson-Kanu.

Cardiff (4-2-3-1): Smithies; Peltier, Morrison, Flint, Bennett, Pack, Bacuna, Paterson (Mendez-Laing 57), Whyte (Murphy 80), Glatzel (Ward 73), Hoilett.

Subs not used: Etheridge, Coxe, Nelson, Tomlin.