West Brom debrief: Too kind to strugglers and painful lack of momentum

A Jayson Molumby breakthrough 15 minutes from time was not enough for Tony Mowbray's visitors as the hosts equalised courtesy of a controversial penalty before Ryan Hardie, with his second, struck a winner two minutes from time.

Baggies correspondent Lewis Cox addresses some talking points in the debrief.

Leg-up for rivals

Saturday's late show was Plymouth's first victory in 16 Championship fixtures. The Pilgrims did recently have an FA Cup upset against Brentford too.

Another damning stat is that Derby's 2-1 victory over the Baggies on Boxing Day is the Rams only points in nine games. They have lost the other eight.

Now some context is required. Plymouth looked very well-drilled under new boss Miron Muslic and a couple of defenders enjoyed decent debuts, but Argyle recently shipped five at home to a Burnley side who do not score many. Derby had the feeling of a real Carlos Corberan exit hangover.

But, in all, Albion have to stop finding a way to give struggling opposition a leg-up. There are signs of a soft underbelly in some of these results against sides that have struggled this season.

Mowbray is only just through the door and he has spoken of turning around a mentality - Saturday at Home Park was a good example. 

Zero momentum

It was a real opportunity passed up by Albion to put some very unwanted statistics to bed.

Thanks to Hardie's late intervention - coolly converting a chance he should not have been allowed for his first goals since September - the visitors remain without successive wins since September.

It is also a sequence of nine away fixtures without a win dating back to the effort at Hull on November 10 - which remains the only success on the road since Portsmouth on September 15.

With those runs in mind it is a miracle Albion remain in and around the play-off picture. A struggling group of play-off chasing rivals seem determined not to grasp their opportunity. Such woes are putting more pressure on home form.

Though strugglers should not be taken for granted, the trip to Devon was a massive chance spurned to build up some rare winning momentum and rhythm this season.

Creativity boost

Twelve hours or so before kick-off at Home Park, Albion confirmed the second signing of the window in Tottenham teen striker Will Lankshear.

The 19-year-old was unavailable to feature against the Pilgrims but should be ready to go against Sheffield Wednesday next time out. Albion are also about to confirm the addition of Danish attacking midfielder Tammer Bany, 21, who has been brought in to help unlock doors.

The need for more creativity and threat in the final third was crying out down on the south coast. The Baggies had so much of the ball - around 70 per cent possession - but just four shots on target from 12 in total against the division's minnows is not enough.

Molumby did well to scramble home from Jed Wallace's industrious work but otherwise clear chances were few and far between, as were shots at goal, which is curious given the volume of efforts has been well up under Mowbray. Credit Plymouth, too, whose rigid five-man defence was mostly watertight.

Palmer farewell

It was not known at the time that it would be the final occasion Palmer would pull on Albion's number one shirt.

The goalkeeper was unable to keep out Hardie's penalty - not the best spot-kick ever seen - and was beaten from an ankle from the Scot's neat late finish.

In between the striker's double Palmer did what he does so well, a wonderful instinctive safe from Michael Obafemi's snapshot. It was a sensational stop and looked like potentially earning a point. It was not to be.

It was a disappointing way to end the 28-year-old's 104th and final appearances for the side he spent years trying to break into. Palmer, though, is about to become a Premier League player and he could help keep Ipswich up with some good displays. Albion have pocketed decent money - rising to £5milllion - which help with profit and sustainability regulations. So long as Josh Griffiths settles well back between the sticks, it is a good move for all parties.