West Brom 2 Bournemouth 1 - Report and pictures

Josh King opened the scoring from the penalty spot five minutes in after Allan Nyom wrestled diminutive winger Ryan Fraser to the ground.

But the Baggies were level five minutes later when Craig Dawson's long-range shot deflected off Tyrone Mings and looped into the far corner.

And Albion were in the lead by the 22nd minute when Artur Boruc dropped Chris Brunt's devilish corner at Gareth McAuley's feet two yards out.

The centre-back smacked the ball into the net to pick up his seventh goal of the season and his sixth in the Premier League.

Mark Clattenburg waved away a penalty appeal after Marc Pugh's cross hit Dawson's arm on the floor and then incensed the home crowd with two decisions.

First, he didn't penalise Steve Cook for stepping across Salomon Rondon chasing a back pass, and then he refused to give a free-kick when Tyrone Mings challenged the Venzuelan on the edge of the area because the Cherries defender got the ball.

The Baggies had the ball in the net shortly after half-time, but Nacer Chadli's goal was ruled out for offside after Dawson's flick-on to the back post.

And the home side managed to close out a remarkable end-to-end game thanks to two stunning Ben Foster saves in injury time.

Analysis

Bournemouth came to The Hawthorns on a rotten run of form, with no win in 2017 and five defeats from their past seven games.

Thanks to their leaky defence, they were letting in an average of three goals a game this calendar year, so it was hardly surprising their early lead didn't last.

Allan Nyom's challenge on Ryan Fraser was clumsy, but nobody has won more penalties than the diminutive Scotsman in the Premier League this season, he's an expert at getting the wrong side of opponents by ducking round those larger than him.

Josh King tucked home the penalty, becoming the first Bournemouth player to score against Albion in the first half since Eddie Howe back in January 1999.

But the reaction from Tony Pulis's side was swift. The Hawthorns has been a fortress this season, and the in-form Baggies didn't let that goal panic them.

They looked confident in their ability to get back into the game with so much of it left to play, and it didn't take them long.

Dawson's long-range shot may have taken a deflection but there was an arrogance to the build-up that included a spell of controlled head-tennis.

Albion were purring in the first half, running off each other and back-heeling the ball to team-mates.

Nacer Chadli oozed class, Darren Fletcher was everywhere, and James Morrison was making dangerous darts in behind.

But the Baggies took the lead with a tried and trusted method, and it was a now-familiar name on the scoresheet.

Chris Brunt - who was playing in midfield with Matt Phillips ruled out with a hamstring strain - whipped in a typically devilish corner onto the six-yard line and Artur Boruc came to claim the ball.

But he was dwarfed by Albion's six-foot-plus bodies, and the keeper dropped the ball straight at Gareth McAuley's feet.

The 37-year-old hammered the ball into the net from all of two yards out to join Salomon Rondon at the top of the club's scoring charts with seven for the season.

The Cherries had nearly 70 per cent possession in the first half but Albion's back line held firm, and the home side were breaking with purpose.

If Salomon Rondon was a more competent dribbler he might have had a hat-ful, but often the counter-attacks would break down with him. Sometimes he was too isolated, sometimes he made the wrong decision.

The home crowd wanted a penalty and a red card when Mings brought him down on the edge of the area as the striker latched onto a raking pass, but the defender got the ball and Mark Clattenburg played on.

The visitors had their own penalty appeal up the other end when Marc Pugh's cross hit Dawson's arm on the floor as the full-back slid in to block, but again, Clattenburg - taking charge of his first game since announcing his departure to Saudi Arabia - said no.

After the break, McAuley nearly made it eight, bouncing another header off the bar, before chaos reigned from another Brunt delivery.

Dawson flicked the ball on to Chadli, who tucked it in at the back post, but after deliberating with his assistant, Clattenburg ruled it out for offside.

More worrying than whether the goal would stand was the impact on Dawson, who was knocked out by Mings in the process.

Fortunately the full-back got to his feet, although he was sensibly still brought off for James McClean.

Pulis also brought on Claudio Yacob for the brilliant Morrison soon after to shore things up and attempt to bring some order to what was a frenetic game.

Bournemouth still piled men forward in the last 20 minutes in search of an equaliser as the Baggies retreated further and further towards their box.

But it was the home side, operating like a coiled snake, who looked more dangerous on the break.

McClean struck a couple of shots at Boruc but they were palmed away, and the goal still eluded Rondon, whose outstretched boot didn't quite reach the Ireland international's cross-come-shot. Albion's leading man has now gone 11 games without finding the net.

The Cherries threw the kitchen sink at the Baggies during five minutes of injury time, and they would have scored were it not for two fantastic Ben Foster saves that denied substitute Lys Mousset and Mings, but thanks to him, and those around him, Albion held on for their seventh home win in eight in the league.

It means Pulis has hit his magical 40-point mark in February, with a dozen games still to play, a record-breaking season is on the cards.

The juggernaut rumbles on, and with 18-year-old Sam Field getting a cameo at the end of a tight game, the future looks bright too.

'We're all going on a European Tour,' sang the Smethwick End after the final whistle, after praising Foster for his heroics, and while Everton may have something to say about that, on this form, you wouldn't bet against it.

Key moments

04 GOAL BOURNEMOUTH - Josh King tucks home a penalty after Allan Nyom wrestles Ryan Fraser to the floor after the diminutive winger gets the wrong side of the full-back.

10 GOAL ALBION - Baggies keep the ball with some lovely head-tennis before Nacer Chadli finds Craig Dawson and his long range shot deflects off Tyrone Muings and loops into the far corner.

22 GOAL ALBION - Artur Boruc fails to claim Chris Brunt's corner and the ball falls at Gareth McAuley's feet two yards out and he smacks in his seventh goal of the season.

26 Rondon chases down a pass-back and Steve Cook steps across his path and brings him down but Mark Clattenburg plays on because it was shoulder to shoulder.

34 Bournemouth want a penalty when Pugh's cross hits Dawson's arm on the floor as he slides in but Clattenburg says no.

36 Loud boos for Clattenburg after Mings' challenge on Rondon, but it's a good challenge from the defender, who gets the ball.

55 McAuley hits the bar before Albion put the ball in the net when Dawson's flick-on is tucked in at the back post by Chadli but the goal is ruled out for offside and Dawson is taken off after a clash of heads.

Man of the match

Jake Livermore - Plenty of contenders but the holding midfielder was everywhere, particularly in an end-to-end second half.

Position in the table

8th, with 40 points from 26 games.

Teams

Albion (4-2-3-1): Foster, Dawson (McClean 54), McAuley, Evans, Nyom, Livermore, Fletcher (c), Brunt, Morrison (Yacob 74), Chadli (Field 88), Rondon. Unused subs: Myhill, Olsson, Leko, Robson-Kanu.

AFC Bournemouth (4-1-4-1): Boruc, A Smith, Cook, Mings, Daniels; Surman (c); Fraser, Arter (Afobe 66), Wilshere (Gosling 66), Pugh (Mousset 79); King. Unused subs: Allsop, B Smith, Gradel, Stanislas.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Gosforth)

Attendance: 24,162 (1,656 Bournemouth)