Sunderland goal hero Dan Ballard celebrates after breaking the deadlock against West Brom
Managerless Sunderland got back on the winning trail at the first attempt following Tony Mowbray's departure as they deservedly beat West Bromwich Albion.
Dan Ballard and Dan Neil scored the goals at the Stadium of Light as the hosts won for the first time in four games.
Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante pulled one back for the Baggies late on, just two minutes after Neil had run clear on the break to make it 2-0.
But Albion had nothing more to give as they succumbed to a second successive 2-1 defeat as Sunderland's players gave the perfect response to Monday's surprise sacking of Mowbray.
The Baggies were upset by injuries, without skipper Jed Wallace for a second game running, and having lost Matt Phillips for four months.
They were at least able to bring back top scorer John Swift for only his second start in two months, but they were also without Okay Yokuslu, for whom Jayson Molumby came in, and boss Carlos Corberan opted to make two further changes, swapping Kyle Bartley and former Sunderland striker Josh Maja for Semi Ajayi and Brandon Thomas-Asante respectively.
It was an unhappy return for Maja, who had to be helped off in only the 36th minute following a poor challenge from Ballard, for which the Sunderland man was booked.
Sunderland caretaker boss Mike Dodds made two changes for his first game in charge since briefly filling in for two matches between Lee Johnson's sacking and Alex Neil's appointment in February 2022.
He brought back Patrick Roberts in place of Mason Burstow, while Jobe Bellingham came in for Abdoullah Ba.
Mike Dodds is in his second stint as Sunderland caretaker boss
Bellingham was involved in the first half's key moment, when he appeared to have cashed in on sloppy Albion defending to put Sunderland ahead from close range, only for the goal to be incorrectly chalked off for offside.
Roberts nearly made a breakthrough midway through the second half when his right-foot shot hit the post and Jack Clarke's follow-up was brilliantly tipped wide by Albion keeper Alex Palmer.
But Sunderland finally got the breakthrough on 69 minutes when newly arrived substitute Alex Pritchard's free-kick was headed in powerfully at the near post by Ballard - only his third goal for the club and his first at the Stadium of Light.
The points looked safe when Sunderland broke quickly to double their lead.
Upfield chasing an equaliser, Conor Townsend made a mess of a lofted clearance and slipped, the alert Pritchard latched onto the loose ball to send Neil clear and he kept his head to coolly clip the ball over Palmer.
Just two minutes later Albion were handed a lifeline when Thomas-Asante pulled a goal back from closer range - but that was all Carlos Corberan's men could muster.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsSunderland
Formation 4-1-4-1
1Patterson2Huggins13O'Nien5Ballard32Hume39Ekwah10Roberts22Aouchiche24Neil20Clarke7Bellingham
- 1Patterson2Huggins13O'Nien5BallardBooked at 34mins32Hume39Ekwah10RobertsSubstituted forMayendaat 81'minutes22AouchicheSubstituted forPritchardat 62'minutes24Neil20Clarke7Bellingham
Substitutes
- 11Burstow12Mayenda15Rusyn17Ba21Pritchard23Seelt25Triantis30Bishop46Dack
West Brom
Formation 4-2-3-1
24Palmer2Furlong5Bartley4Kipré3Townsend8Molumby27Mowatt11Diangana19Swift17Sarmiento9Maja
- 24Palmer2FurlongBooked at 90mins5BartleySubstituted forAjayiat 75'minutes4Kipré3Townsend8MolumbyBooked at 54minsSubstituted forChalobahat 60'minutesBooked at 81mins27Mowatt11DianganaSubstituted forThomas-Asanteat 60'minutesBooked at 90mins19SwiftSubstituted forÁvila Gordónat 75'minutesBooked at 90mins17SarmientoBooked at 51mins9MajaSubstituted forFellowsat 36'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Ajayi14Chalobah15Pieters21Thomas-Asante26Ávila Gordón31Fellows33Griffiths36Taylor38Higgins
Referee:Darren BondAttendance:40,101Match StatsHome TeamSunderlandAway TeamWest BromPossessionHome53%Away47%ShotsHome14Away11Shots on TargetHome5Away1CornersHome4Away7FoulsHome5Away13Live Text Post update
Match ends, Sunderland 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.
90'+7'Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 2, West Bromwich Albion 1.
90'+6'Booking
Pipa (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+6'Post update
Dan Ballard (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+6'Post update
Foul by Pipa (West Bromwich Albion).
90'+3'Booking
Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+3'Post update
Alex Pritchard (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion).
90'+1'Post update
Offside, Sunderland. Jack Clarke is caught offside.
90'+1'Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Semi Ajayi.
90'Booking
Brandon Thomas-Asante (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
88'Post update
Jack Clarke (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'Post update
Foul by Nathaniel Chalobah (West Bromwich Albion).
86'goalGoal!
Goal! Sunderland 2, West Bromwich Albion 1. Brandon Thomas-Asante (West Bromwich Albion) header from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Pipa with a cross.
86'Post update
Foul by Jack Clarke (Sunderland).
86'Post update
Tom Fellows (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
84'goalGoal!
Goal! Sunderland 2, West Bromwich Albion 0. Daniel Neil (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Alex Pritchard with a through ball following a fast break.
83'Post update
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Daniel Neil.
83'Post update
Attempt blocked. Jeremy Sarmiento (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
83'Post update
Foul by Eliezer Mayenda (Sunderland).
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Source: bbc.com