West Bromwich Albion 1-3 Stoke City: Baggies' play-off chances almost over
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Jacob Brown's 12th goal of the season put Stoke on their way to the win at The Hawthorns.
West Bromwich Albion's Championship play-off hopes are almost over after they slipped to defeat by Stoke City.
A shadow of the side that had beaten Fulham and Bournemouth in their last two games at home, the Baggies were largely under par and the Potters made them pay.
Jake Livermore's own goal put Stoke in front before Jacob Brown's thumping header doubled the lead on the hour.
Substitute Callum Robinson tapped in to give Albion hope and although Andy Carroll went close to levelling with a header, Lewis Baker sealed the points with a breakaway third in injury time.
Stoke's first away win in 10 games moved them to within two points of the Baggies who are eight points outside the top six.
Despite beating the leaders and second-placed side in the last two matches at The Hawthorns, Albion were off the pace for much of the match and Stoke fully deserved to take the lead from a Tommy Smith free-kick.
The ball was worked down the right and Livermore got the final touch as Baker fizzed a cross into the box - the fourth game in a row involving the Potters to feature an own goal.
Steven Fletcher saw his drive well saved by Sam Johnstone before Josh Tymon missed after a nice one-two with Mario Vrancic.
Albion's best moment of the half came when Jayson Molumby capitalised on some sloppy Stoke defensive play to put Carroll through and although his lob beat Jack Bonham, it also went over the bar.
The second half was delayed after an Albion fan in the stand behind the home dug-out needed medical treatment for a head injury and when play resumed, the pattern of the match continued as Stoke went further in front.
Another Smith free-kick caused problems as the Baggies defence was caught cold and Brown rose in between his markers to head home. That triggered an exodus from fans - who had booed the team off again at half-time - with nearly half an hour still to go.
Steve Bruce made a double change to try to inject some energy into his side and the move paid off when Robinson finished off a route-one move via Johnstone's goal-kick and Carroll's flick.
Carroll then saw a trademark header touched on to the bar by Bonham as the home side threatened a comeback but all hope was snuffed out in the seven minutes of injury time when Baker tucked home from a counter-attack after Albion were caught upfield.
Stoke's third win in their past four games was deserved while West Brom must now contemplate trying to close an eight-point gap to the top six with only five games left.
West Brom boss Steve Bruce told BBC Radio WM:
"We were caught in the first half with a free-kick and the second one is like something you see on a school-boy pitch. It sums the afternoon up.
"Simply not good enough and if we're being honest we were never anywhere near it. It was our third game in six days and I toyed with changing even though we won in midweek.
"I thought we looked jaded - we didn't have the spark we had in the week but I don't want to make excuses.
"We have to have a team that is capable of mounting a challenge to get out of this division and they [the fans] are not going to be happy if they see the team in mid-table."
Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke:
"I'm delighted with the performance. I thought we were brilliant in the first half - we should've been more than one ahead to be honest.
"Our reaction when we lost the goal was very good and we still played some great football and went 3-1 ahead.
"Jacob's learning all the time - he missed a really good chance on Tuesday night - but he put himself back in there today and I'm really pleased he got the goal."