West Brom 4-0 Everton

Saturday's Premiership photos

Nathan Ellington scored twice as West Brom ended a run of three successive Premiership defeats with a comfortable win over fellow strugglers Everton.

Ellington scored a penalty just before half-time, although Everton claimed the initial foul on the striker by Tony Hibbert was outside the box.

Neil Clement's header doubled the lead five minutes after the break, before Ellington netted a fine curling shot.

Robert Earnshaw ran clear at the end and slotted home to complete the rout.

Before Ellington gave West Brom the lead, the game had been a drab affair with both teams showing why they are at the wrong end of the table.

The Baggies looked the livelier at the start, however, and Joseph Yobo produced a good tackle to deny Diomansy Kamara, before Martyn had to save after a smart turn and shot from Ellington.

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But the Toffees clawed their way back and Marcus Bent had their first chance, sending a looping header wide after Phil Neville's cross before Andy van der Meyde headed over after Mikel Arteta's cross was deflected.

Kevin Kilbane also had a shot deflected but it was Ellington who ensured the Baggies would go in ahead at half-time.

Referee Dermot Gallagher had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Ellington was fouled by Hibbert, but the Everton players' claims that the foul was outside the box appeared to have some justification.

Despite the controversy, there was no denying the coolness of Ellington's kick as he gently sidefooted the ball into the corner with Martyn stranded.

And if the Baggies fans were happy at half-time, they were positively ecstatic five minutes after the restart as Clement rose highest to head the second from Kamara's corner.

Everton were again aggrieved minutes after the goal when Gallagher waved play on despite West Brom keeper Tomasz Kuszczak appearing to handle the ball outside his area.

And Bent should have done better on 61 minutes as he headed behind from a tight angle following James Beattie's penetrating deep cross.

Ellington should have made the game safe on 66 minutes but he blazed over when he was put through.

But he did not waste much time in making amends, curling a beautiful left-foot shot past Martyn to make it three on 69 minutes.

Substitute Nwankwo Kanu should have made it four with eight minutes to go, but his powerful header was straight at Martyn.

Everton's miserable day was summed up when Curtis Davies' sent the ball inches wide of his own post with Kuszczak stranded, then from the resulting corner Duncan Ferguson prodded over from close range after it bounced off his thigh.

And to rub it in, substitute Earnshaw latched on to Kilbane's awful back pass and slotted home to make it four.

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West Brom boss Bryan Robson:
"Some of our performances have been really good but we just haven't been taking our chances.

"But we played some good football and when we got in front, the pleasing thing about the performance was that they didn't get anxious.

"They didn't get nervous and they kept passing the ball and we scored some good goals."

Everton boss David Moyes:
"The performance wasn't good. We've had some good performances in recent weeks and we've done much better - and today was a bad as they were good.

"I think the penalty started it. We hadn't played well in the first half.

"We were looking at half-time to re-jig it but a penalty is given for a tackle which is a yard outside the box."

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West Brom: Kuszczak, Watson, Curtis Davies, Clement, Albrechtsen, Greening, Wallwork, Inamoto, Kamara (Carter 63), Horsfield (Kanu 36), Ellington (Earnshaw 85).
Subs Not Used: Hoult, Moore.

Goals: Ellington 45 pen, Clement 51, Ellington 69, Earnshaw 90.

Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Yobo, Weir, Neville, Van der Meyde (McFadden 74), Davies, Arteta (Osman 77), Kilbane, Bent, Beattie (Ferguson 64).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Kroldrup.

Att: 24,784

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).