Huddersfield 1-0 West Brom: Danel Sinani helps Terriers beat poor Baggies
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Danel Sinani slid in his third goal of the season to put Huddersfield in front against West Brom
Huddersfield moved to the edge of the play-off places after an excellent win over 10-man West Brom, whose troubles on the road continued.
Danel Sinani's early goal capped a terrific opening half an hour from the Terriers as Albion struggled to get going.
When they did, Matt Phillips twice went close to levelling before the break only for Danny Ward to waste a great chance to add a second for Huddersfield early in the second half.
Albion pressed hard for an equaliser but had captain Jake Livermore sent off for a high boot shortly before Matt Clarke missed the chance to snatch a point late on.
The win - Huddersfield's fourth in their last five at home - takes the Terriers to within one point of sixth spot, while third-placed Albion's hopes of staying in touch with the top two were dented by a fourth straight defeat away from home.
Huddersfield move to the fringes of the top six off the back of an excellent unbeaten run at home that stretches back to mid-September and they started with typical energy and verve.
They were rewarded on six minutes when Sinani tapped home at the far post after Scott High's perfect pass sent Ward through to cross as Albion's flat-footed defence looked for an offside flag.
The Terriers suffocated the Baggies in midfield with academy-graduate High - in for injured captain Jonathan Hogg - and stand-in skipper Lewis O'Brien dominating and, together with their high press all over the pitch, they refused to allow Albion much peace.
Sorba Thomas ought to have done better when he collected a long punt down field by goalkeeper Lee Nicholls but his control let him down as he broke free of the covering defenders.
Albion belatedly found their composure and rhythm as the first half wore on. Kyle Bartley nodded a Conor Townsend cross straight at the keeper before Phillips put his header over from Karlan Grant's cut-back.
Valerien Ismael got more industry from his Baggies side after the break with wing-back Taylor Gardner-Hickman nearly finding a spectacular leveller as his volley from Grant's nod-back whistled just wide.
The Baggies' task was made harder when Livermore was shown a straight red card when he went into a challenge on Fraizer Campbell with a high boot nine minutes from time.
There was time though for one more chance but Clarke couldn't steer his header on target from close range after Grant - subdued for most of the afternoon on his return to his former club - dug out an inviting cross.
Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio Leeds:
"We knew how tough the game would be, but we wanted to start with a very positive mentality.
"Our concentration was excellent and our aggression in the middle of the pitch was very good. The mentality of the players was brilliant.
"We had a couple of chances to score the second goal, but didn't.
"We have to compete to the very end like we did today to get three points."
West Brom head coach Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio WM:
"We are frustrated because we lost the game, but it was not a poor game. We dominated the opponents but conceded an early goal.
"Our conversion at the minute is not very good and we need to work on it. We created chances but you need to score. The red card was never a red card, but you have to fight against those situations.
"Everyone needs to do more in the final third, but it doesn't change anything - I said at the beginning you need consistency and we need to start to win games."