Cam Peupion’s last gasp winner to complete his hat-trick saw Albion overcome league leaders Manchester City 3-2 in Premier League 2 on Sunday.
The Australian’s first half brace put the hosts in control, but Will Dickson and Carlos Borges pulled things level for City.
A point each looked to be on the cards, until Peupion nodded home a winner in the 89th minute to complete a fine individual performance against a City team who are four points clear at the top of PL2.
Albion couldn’t have wished for a better start as they took the lead after just two minutes when Luca Barrington’s ball down the left found Imari Samuels, who picked out Peupion on the right of the box to fire in first time from eight yards out.
Carlos Borges should have equalised for the visitors ten minutes later when he went through one-on-one with Albion stopper Killian Cahill, but the Irishman got an outstretched boot to the City striker’s effort to maintain the hosts’ lead.
Albion had their second of the afternoon just after the half hour mark and it was that man Peupion again. Samy Chouchane saw his effort deflect narrowly wide of the bottom right, but from the resulting corner, Barrington picked out the run of Albion’s Aussie winger who fired into the top corner from close range.
The comfort of a two-goal cushion didn't last long though, as Adedire Mebude got in down the Albion left and picked out Will Dickson in the middle for a tap in. Peupion had a great opportunity for his third of the day immediately after the City goal, but having been found by Andrew Moran, his attempt to tuck the ball past Cieran Slicker was thwarted as the City keeper spread himself well, putting the effort behind for a corner.
Borges should have equalised for City six minutes after the restart when he went through on goal again, but as before, Cahill denied the forward, this time with his backside as the Portugal Under-19 tried to beat the Albion man at his near-post.
City would find their leveller though and it was Borges who finally had something to show for his afternoon’s work as he rifled past Cahill from the edge of the six-yard box with 20 minutes to go.
Mark O’Mahony and Moran sent efforts over the crossbar in their search for a winner, while Ben Knight dragged a shot wide from a decent position for City as the game headed for a draw.
Peupion had other plans. Samuels combined smartly with Duffus on the left before crossing into the unmarked Peupion to nod into the bottom right corner.
The extra two points sees Albion shoot up from ninth to six in the division, putting six points between themselves and the bottom four as we reach the final stages of the campaign.
Albion line-up: Cahill, Nilsson, Samuels, Packham, Kavanagh (McConville 46), Chouchane (Mullins 78), Peupion, Hinchy (Duffus 63), Moran, Hinshelwood, Barrington (O’Mahony 63).
Unused subs: Talley.