West Brom 2 Sheffield United 0: Rare comfortable win as Baggies respond with another home success

Red-hot striker Aune Heggebo led from the front with a goal and an assist for Karlan Grant as the hosts netted twice without reply to blunt the Blades in front of watching owner Shilen Patel.

It was a first victory by a margin of two goals in what has been a difficult debut campaign in charge for Mason - but the head coach has at least been able to largely rely on form at The Hawthorns, where his troops are unbeaten in seven.

While the Baggies have lost seven on the spin on their travels, with desperate displays at Queens Park Rangers and Southampton this week alone, they are beginning to turn their historic home into something of a fortress in the arena's 125th year.

There was nothing to separate the sides in a tense first-half physical where both sides mostly cancelled each other out.

Chris Wilder's in-form Blades, who were unbeaten in six with four wins, were disappointing overall and powerless to keep Mason's side at bay after the break and it could have been more for the hosts as Heggebo made it seven goals in seven games and Grant impressed.

Pressure and scrutiny had ramped up on Mason due to severe struggles away from home leaving them down in 16th.

Hapless defending appeared a thing for the travels, though, as Albion recovered from a shaky first 10 minutes against United to deliver a calm defensive display and only a second clean sheet in 13.

With the ownership group watching on at a Hawthorns low on attendance due to poor results overall it was a much-needed success for some respite on the head coach's position as we head into Christmas.

Having made five and four changes in the two away defeats this weeks Mason continued with alterations.

One was enforced as vice-captain Alex Mowatt was sidelined with a foot injury picked up in Southampton. George Campbell returned to right-back for the struggling Chris Mepham as the hosts reverted to a back four and Mikey Johnston deputised for Samuel Iling-Junior.

Mason's side tried to set the tone in among the empty seats inside The Hawthorns. Empty seats had been a familiar sight in recent weeks and supporters continued to vote with their feet here.

The Blades might have cut through inside 10 minutes to inflict more insult to injury. Yet another moment of defensive chaos saw Nat Phillips give a hospital pass to Ousmane Diakite, which the midfielder could not deal with, and the ball squirmed through to Gustavo Hamer.

The talented midfielder's first-time strike from 18 yards was superbly tipped around the post by the left hand of Joe Wildsmith - again preferred to Josh Griffiths in goal.

Griffiths was less convincing moments later when he had to rush a clearance out of goal and it hit the head of a Blades attacker 25 yards out to the left and bounced agonizingly closely to the hosts' goalline. It was a real let-off.

Albion had flashes of promise. Most of it came through Johnston down the right, though it was his goalbound volley blocked after sharp work from Grant on the left.

Diakite headed a decent chance over from four yards from Callum Styles' corner.

The first period settled into a dull pattern. Albion were too slow and ponderous in some promising positions that fizzled out. The Blades were sharp on the break as Patrick Bamford and Hamer combined for Tyrese Campbell to race through on goal, but Phillips recovered admirably.

Albion's midfield issues played out without the injured Mowatt and Toby Collyer. Diakite and Molumby are uncomfortable in possession, more so the former who was hounded out on the edge of his own box as Bamford shot at Wildsmith. Mason held his arms out.

United midfielder Djibril Soumare blazed over from a tight angle on his left side as half-time neared.

The hosts should have managed what QPR achieved the previous weekend on the stroke of half-time. Diakite helped on a high ball and it dropped to Heggebo in the box but the Norwegian could only scoop over left-footed.

Heggebo did not pass up his opening early in the second period.

The insatiable Norwegian showed every part of his game to help break the deadlock.

He won a 50-50 in midfield with a powerful challenge and fed Campbell on the right. The defender took his time before he measured a perfect low cross was turned in by Heggebo six yards out at the near post.

It was a typical poacher's goal.

The visitors were rocked and Mason's men kept going. Stand-in skipper Molumby had a shot blocked as United struggled to deal with set-pieces.

Chris Wilder made two changes on the hour but his side shipped a second seconds later.

Heggebo was at the heart of it again. He took the ball from another fine Campbell pass, turned and sent a central ball forward to Grant.

Grant looked second-best to the race but shrugged big Mark McGuinness off the ball outside the box and rifled a finish in off the crossbar. It thundered down and over Michael Cooper's goalline and the winger peeled away in celebration in front of the Brummie Road.

Wilder's men crumbled with the boss looking on livid. Price was played in but couldn't adjust his feet for a third.

Visiting pressure came in parts of the final 15 or 20 minutes but it was weak and unconvincing as diligent and strong Albion - everything they have lacked on their travels - defended manfully.

Down the other end Price twice fired off target from range as Albion broke leaving boss Mason hopping mad at his decision-making.

Grant was an inch from meeting a low ball at the back post while Albion's Campbell had to hack clear near his post from a scrambled corner. Diakite should have made it three for the Baggies but he miscued a volley from a set-piece.

But Albion were mercifully comfortable with the rare two-goal advantage for another crucial home victory.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Wildsmith; Campbell, Bielik, Phillips, Styles; Diakite, Molumby (c); Johnston (Iling-Junior, 90), Price (Taylor, 84), Grant; Heggebo (Dike, 90+3). 

Subs not used: Griffiths, Wallis, Mepham, Gilchrist, Bostock, Maja. 

Sheffield United: Cooper, Seriki, McGuinness, Tanganga (c), Burrows, Riedewald (O'Hare, 70), Soumare (Arblaster, 60), Hamer, Brooks (Chong, 60), Campbell (Cannon, 70), Bamford (Ings, 84).

Subs not used: Davies, McCallum, Bindon, Matos.

Referee: Matthew Donohue