Baggies seal back-to-back wins - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Baggies seal back-to-back wins

West Brom striker Roman Bednar scored his first goal in open play this season to help the Baggies claim a 1-0 win against Fulham and secure back-to-back Premier League wins.

The former Hearts player, who had previously netted two penalties, broke the deadlock after 61 minutes to cap a second half dominated by the hosts.

Bednar had the game's first chance when Jonathan Greening's reverse pass picked out his run and he got goal-side of Aaron Hughes but he clipped his shot straight into the hands of Mark Schwarzer.

Former West Brom star Zoltan Gera was receiving plenty of vocal support from the Baggies fans but he nearly silenced them on the half-hour mark when he came close to breaking the deadlock.

Clint Dempsey set up the opportunity when he squared the ball back from the by-line into the path of the Hungarian and his precise side-footed effort flew only inches wide.

Albion came close to going ahead within two minutes of the restart. A deep cross from the left flank by Jonathan Greening picked out Ryan Donk and the on-loan defender crashed a fierce header against the outside of a post.

The pressure was now relentless on the Fulham goal and a close-range header from James Morrison was somehow cleared off the line by Danny Murphy.

But Fulham finally cracked after 61 minutes through Bednar's third goal of the campaign. Greening's corner was turned back across goal by Donk and Bednar was in the right place to stab the ball past Schwarzer.

Fulham responded as Jimmy Bullard played a short free-kick to Murphy and his low 20-yard shot was deflected only inches wide.

Bednar had the chance to wrap up the points but Schwarzer did well to block his close-range effort from a Robert Koren centre.

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