Wigan 1 West Brom 2 - analysis and pictures

Try as they might to keep a lid on the excitement swirling around The Hawthorns, the Baggies' performances are creating a fervour they cannot control.

If they began their fabulous start to the Steve Clarke era flying under the radar, they have created too many waves to keep a low profile as they steam towards winter with little suggestion that their momentum is slowing.

They reached the 20-point mark with their latest impressive day's work at the DW Stadium. And even if players and management refuse to abandon their 40-points-first mantra, there is now a real possibility that ecstatic supporters might re-adjust their sights for them.

Saturday's victory ticked one of the few empty boxes on their early-season CV as they recorded a first away league win under Clarke's under-stated but impressive guidance.

And it left them level with the Premier League's top four with almost a third of the season completed.

Sooner or later the rest of the country will begin to treat Albion as the real deal.

And any time now Clarke and his men might just need to consider embracing the growing sense of optimism among their supporters that they can adjust their sights this season and aim higher than their traditional scrap for survival.

It will take a while before they dare to shout from the rooftops. But in quiet conversations and private moments, Baggies fans are allowing themselves to consider a challenge for European football.

A visit to the in-form and dangerous Latics represented another significant obstacle in the path of Clarke and his men.

But, with the same confidence and clarity of vision that has underpinned the first three months of the new head coach's tenure, they cleared the bar and prepared to move on to more stiff challenges that lie ahead.

It was not a vintage display by Clarke's team, but it was a performance of poise and purpose that was good enough to overcome a serious hurdle.

So far they have found no challenge too big and no mission too daunting to be attacked with conviction.

And it has all been achieved with Clarke enjoying the luxury to rotate an ever-improving squad in a way that no previous Albion manager has felt able to do.

He has done so with a sure touch and the confidence to make his own mark subtly while retaining the best traits of the team he inherited.

In 11 Premier League outings under their new gaffer, only once have Albion failed to perform with Saturday's notable scalp the latest reason why the rest of the country might soon have to start taking them seriously.

It took them a while to adjust to the 4-4-2 system employed by Clarke for the first time in competitive action.

But they stood firm against a brief flurry of Latics attacks in the opening half-hour before warming to their task and giving their noisy 3,397 fans reason to celebrate on 31 minutes.

Captain Chris Brunt, restored to the starting line-up after injury and struggling at times in the opening moments, suddenly found his range and delivered a perfect cross from the left flank.

James Morrison made superb use of the delivery, steaming in and outjumping Gary Caldwell to head his team in front.

By the time Billy Jones galloped forward and saw his cross-shot deflected in by Caldwell for the own-goal that made it 2-0 on 43 minutes, the Baggies had taken charge of the game.

They made life harder than it need have been just a minute later when they nodded off and allowed Aruna Kone to turn home a Jean Beausejour cross.

But stand-in goalkeeper Boaz Myhill was rarely extended fully after the break with Caldwell's poor header from a set-piece and Franco Di Santo's effort that deflected wide of Kone the closest the Latics got to an equaliser.

When the final whistle confirmed another fabulous victory for Clarke and Co, the even-tempered head coach allowed himself a momentary show of joy with a fist pump and a smile before getting back 'on message'.

But by then the jubilant travelling army of followers were in full voice behind Myhill's goal. At this rate, their volume will continue to increase along with the height of their ambitions.

By Steve Madeley