Brown Ideye keeps proving his worth as he inspires crucial win to fire Baggies up the table

For a player West Bromwich Albion desperately tried to offload into the dying hours of transfer deadline day, Brown Ideye is proving himself rather useful.

The Nigeria striker, derided for much of this campaign following a £10million club record move, struck his second goal in as many games to shift Tony Pulis’s team away from the relegation places.

Had Carlton Cole arrived from West Ham United as planned, chances are Ideye would be in Qatar, a deal worth £3.8m having been agreed with El-Gharafa. 

Instead he stayed and looks a man reborn. His goal here came on the hour mark and gave the first real glimpse as to why West Brom paid all that money for him last summer.

Stephane Sessegnon slipped a pass down the line to Saido Berahino, who squared into the path of Ideye at the edge of the area. Ashley Williams flung his body to halt Ideye momentarily, but he managed to adjust his body and steer a finish into the far corner.

It was his third Premier League goal of the season. Carry on like this and he threatens to be a success.

With just one point separating West Brom from the relegation zone at kick-off, Tony Pulis’s claim on arrival at the Hawthorns that this would be his toughest management job has begun to ring true. 

Swansea were compact and carried a their greatest threat through Bafetimbi Gomis, who volleyed over at the near post and produced a powerful shot that Ben Foster gathered gratefully.

Jonjo Shelvey, whose winner at Southampton in Swansea’s last away match came from range, tried his luck again. This time the ball flew just past the post.

News of Paul Lambert’s sacking filtered through during a first half where supporters were starved of much to cheer, and West Brom’s followers took pleasure in celebrating the demise of their local rivals. 

‘Justice for Lambert,’ they chanted with no small degree of irony. ‘Irvine for Villa,’ they added soon after, in reference to their former head coach fired earlier this season

Neil Taylor was a transfer target for Pulis in January, and in the 33rd minute he was a target of abuse from the Smethwick End.

The left-back slid into a bad foul on McManaman, earning a yellow card from referee Robert Madley.

Garry Monk made alterations after Ideye struck, sending on Wayne Routledge and Nelson Oliveira. But, with 17 minutes to go Berahino made victory safe. A mighty roar greeted the final whistle, as home supporters sang ‘Bobby Brown’ in tribute to their new, unlikley hero.