West Brom's turn to enjoy pressure on the Sunderland box.

John Swift finds Darnell Furlong on the right and he crosses, but the second ball just won't fall for Tom Rogic on the edge of the box.

Sunderland to their credit, get numbers back.

Sunderland's hassle and harry allows them to win back possession as West Brom seek to clear.

Amad Diallo at the heart of it.

Jack Clarke wins the ball at the back post for the home side, and curls a ball to the back but Diallo can only blaze his acute angle behind.

It would have defied physics to squeeze that one in.

Jack Clarke comes on to replace Elliot Embleton, who was his replacement for the starting XI for Sunderland.

Tom Rogic, Australian skillster, comes on for Jayson Molumby in the Baggies side. Not got going tonight for Molumby.

West Brom, who have in fairness had the longer lay-off from competitive action, have looked much sharper this half.

Brandon Thomas-Asante picks up the ball in the box, but is sent sprawling by Lynden Gooch. No foul says James Linington, as the Baggies forward looks up rather exasperated from the cold, damp turf.

After Sunderland showed some intricate passing but came away with no reward, West Brom break and it's a great chance.

The ball is whacked up to Brandon Thomas-Asante, and he does well to hold it up and release John Swift on the right.

Swift delays his cross, fires across and Matt Phillips meets it, only to be denied by Anthony Patterson - who makes himself big to get something on it.

Ball to the back-stick sails in from the left, and Danny Batth connects for Sunderland but his header loops over.

The big centre-half trundles back looking disappointed.

Dan Neil whips the ball off the toe of West Brom midfielder John Swift and sets off, but he's swiftly eating dirt as he's brought down in retribution.

Alex Pritchard winds up the curling set-piece from the left, and Darnell Furlong helps it behind for a Sunderland corner.

Jed Wallace crabs across the field on the edge of the Sunderland box for West Brom, and delays his pass.

Conor Townsend scampers into space down the left and Wallace tracks him with a laser-guided ball.

Assistant's flag shoots up. Tough call. Must have been millimetres as it was close and Sunderland were at sea.

West Brom get in down the right, Jed Wallace chases the ball to the byline but his foot can't wrap around the ball and it squirts awkwardly behind.

Shakes his head in disbelief. His right foot is usually trustworthy.

So half-time breaks complete. Different team talks no doubt.

West Brom get us off again.

Image source, Getty Images

As cold as the weather is tonight, it's got nothing on some of the Buffalo Bills' home games in the NFL.

They play in all sorts. Madness.

I watched an excellent ESPN documentary about the Bills, if that's your vibe. 'Four Falls of Buffalo', if I remember right.

Four straight Super Bowls, four straight defeats. There's is a massively interesting story. Give it a whirl.

Half-time nearly done.

Image source, Rex Features

The roads, paths and most importantly pitch on Wearside were suitable for tonight's game to go ahead of course...

Sadly other games this week have not been so lucky.

For the latest list, have a ganzle here.

Just in case you missed it earlier, Coventry City have signed a new rental deal with Mike Ashley's Frasers Group to play at the CBS Arena until the end of the season.

It puts to bed the uncertainty around their immediate future in the city.

Sunderland have the home advantage and the scoring advantage at the half-time break here against West Bromwich Albion.

Amad Diallo's penalty, after he was sent tumbling by Conor Townsend, establish the lead.

The game itself has been dominated by the home side away from the scoreline, with Alex Pritchard, Diallo and Ellis Simms all grafting to great effect.

West Brom have had a few opportunities from Jed Wallace's right boot, but they need to get a grip of the game from somewhere.

Jayson Molumby and Okay Yokuslu have been second-best in terms of midfield dominance.

Image source, Rex Features

Set pieces need to be better for West Brom as well, John Swift almost looping a ball into the box that Okay Yokuslu gets his noggin on, but to no great effect.

Tony Mowbray patrols his technical area, and the Sunderland boss is a satisfied man.

Carlos Corberan is a man contemplating a half-time rousing.

I'm a fully paid up member of the Jed Wallace Fan Club, but the Baggies need another outlet.

John Swift has shown flourishes, likewise Matt Phillips. But neither of those two have threatened to take the game by the scruff of the neck at all.

Darnell Furlong gets his side a free-kick on the right, just outside the box, after tempts Dan Neil into a lunging foul.

Corner wasn't incisive enough from Sunderland, but as West Brom get a sniff of a break the ball is lost.

There is so much push from the Black Cats getting forward from midfield.

This time it's Dan Neil who swipes a loose ball and heads for the box, but screws his shot from 18 yards away spinning wide of the target.

Corner to Sunderland, as Alex Pritchard snaps into a challenge, wins the ball, nutmegs his opponent and sets away Amad Diallo.

Diallo drives on but his cross is blocked for a set-piece.

Sunderland continue to cause the Baggies problems, and much of it is down to the unselfish running of Ellis Simms.

He'll hold it up through the middle with physicality, or run the channels like a demon.

Either way, Erik Pieters and Dara O'Shea have had a busy night so far. He's as lively as a ferret.

Jed Wallace is teasing out some sensational deliveries from the right for West Brom.

First he sweeps in and Matt Phillips tries to steer it on goal but it's cleared, and his second sizzler is helped on by Brandon Thomas-Asante, but it's whacked behind by Lynden Gooch.

A training ground corner routine ensues, but its execution is not worthy of the conception.