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West Brom 2 - Bournemouth 1: Dawson and McAuley pile more misery on fast-fading Cherries
TONY PULIS saw his increasingly confident West Brom side condemn Bournemouth to their fourth defeat in a row – and ever closer to an end of season relegation scrap.
Craig Dawson celebrates opening the scoring for West Brom against Bournemouth at the Hawthorns
The Baggies have been in stunning form throughout the campaign.
Goals from defensive pair Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley yesterday were sufficient for West Brom to equal the club’s previous best Premier League home run of four straight wins – set five years ago.
And a further measure of how well things are going is that, at eighth in the table, they have already reached the magical 40-point mark.
Pulis said: “That is always the benchmark. But you never take anything for granted. You need everyone at the club to be relentless every week as this is the toughest league in the world.”
Gareth McAuley scoring West Brom's second to make it 2-1 against Bournemouth at the Hawthorns
It was Bournemouth, though, who opened the scoring inside five minutes.
Referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot after Cherries winger Ryan Fraser was sent tumbling by Allan Nyom, and Josh King sent Ben Foster the wrong way from 12 yards.
Five minutes later, though, West Brom’s excellent response was rewarded with an equaliser.
Nacer Chadli provided the assist with a perfect lay-off and Dawson’s drive took a deflection en route to the ar corner of Artur Boruc’s goal.
If the Bournemouth keeper was helpless there, that was not the case in the 21st minute as his clanger gifted West Brom the lead.
Josh King scoring Bournemouth's opening goal from the penalty spot
He flapped at Chris Brunt’s corner to allow the simplest tap-in for McAuley, who could not believe his luck on his 500th career appearance.
Clattenburg was involved in two more controversial decisions at either end. First he rejected Bournemouth claims for a second penalty, then he infuriated the home fans by denying them one.
Despite the heated protests, he seemed to get both right. Pulis said: “I think he got two of the three big ones right. I’ve looked at the replays and it was a penalty for Bournemouth.
“The one I didn’t agree with was not sending off Steve Cook for a foul on Salomon Rondon. It should have been a red card.”
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe said: “There’s only way for us to get out of this situation – to work harder and play smarter.”