Steve Clarke praised his Albion players after watching them record their first three points of the season after beating Sunderland 3-0 at The Hawthorns.
Goals from Stephane Sessegnon, Liam Ridgewell and Morgan Amalfitano swept Paulo Di Canio’s side aside as Albion finally found an attacking threat.
Albion had scored only one goal going into the game but were ahead inside the first 20 minutes when former Sunderland strike Stephane Sessegnon netted against his old club.
Liam Ridgewell then scored a second for the Baggies 14 minutes from time before Amalfitano capped an impressive home debut with a late strike.
Baggies boss Clarke afterwards admitted Albion had been below-par so far this season, but was delighted to get back to winning ways.
“I’m pleased for the players,” said the Scot. “It’s been a difficult start to the season. “We’ve let ourselves down and haven’t played the kind of football we know we’re capable of. “So, today it was nice to get a win. “We’ve defended well this year. “We conceded a lot of goals towards the end of last season. “We’ve tightened up a little bit and we’re much stronger defensively. “So, to score three goals from open play, keep a clean sheet and pick up your first three-point haul of the season means everyone will go home tonight feeling a little bit better." Clarke was under pressure going into the game but had no fears about the result once Albion took the lead. “Once we got our noses in front I thought we had a really good control of the game,” he added. “And circumstances went for us today as well. “At 1-0 before you get to the last nervous 15 minutes they lost Steven Fletcher to an injury and went down to ten men as they’d used all their subs, so that helps - and immediately we made it 2-0. “All-in-all it was a good afternoon for us.”
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Source: WBA MAD
Source: FOOTYMAD
